PUBLIC POLICY

Many theories, models, and approaches for analyzing policy-making have been developed by political and social scientists. The theoretical approaches include elite theory, group theory, political systems theory and institutionalism, policy output analysis, incremental theory, and rational-choice theory, all of which are primarily concerned with public policy-making as a process. As a result, this work attempts to examine each theory, highlighting its strengths and limitations. Each of the theories discussed, when applied skillfully and selectively, can contribute to a better understanding of policymaking.