eChapter
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Added: 01/11/2011
In coming to grips with any topic, the first task is to define the key terms—in this case policy. Within this context, there are two sorts of policy: public policy and organisational policy. The act...ivities listed below clearly refer to government functions, hence the term ‘public’; indeed, public policy is allabout how public resources are used and the expected outcomes from theallocation of resources. However, the principles behind each of these points can be adapted to policy areas of health services; that is, ‘organisational’ policy. The umbrella term of policy describes a number of organisational activities(Hogwood & Gunn 1984), including: a label for field of activity; an expression of general purpose or desired state of affairs; specific proposals; decisions of government; formal authorisation; programs; output; outcome; theory or model; and process.