Describe the various stages of policy cycle

The policy cycle typically involves several stages:

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  1. Agenda Setting: Identifying and defining issues that require attention and policy intervention.
  2. Policy Formulation: Developing potential solutions or policies to address the identified issues. This stage involves research, analysis, and the crafting of policy options.
  3. Decision-Making: Selecting a specific policy from the proposed options. This often involves debates, negotiations, and decision-making processes within government bodies.
  4. Implementation: Putting the chosen policy into action. This stage involves organizing resources, establishing procedures, and coordinating activities to achieve the policy’s goals.
  5. Evaluation: Assessing the effectiveness and impact of the implemented policy. This step helps policymakers understand whether the policy is achieving its intended outcomes and informs future decision-making.
  6. Feedback: Providing information from the evaluation stage back to the agenda-setting stage. This allows policymakers to learn from the outcomes and adjust policies or address new issues as they arise.

These stages are not always linear or strictly followed, and the policy cycle can be influenced by external factors, political considerations, and public opinion.