Question

Discuss the issues of effectiveness versus efficiency as applied to public policy. Choose a public policy domain that effectiveness trumps efficiency

Answer 1

Effectiveness in public policy means the design and use of right policies to achieve the intended targets and public policy goals set forth by the government. For example, the public policy goal is to reduce inflant mortality from 20 per 100,000 to 10. If the government is able to achieve the target, it means the policy adopted towards achieving the target was effective.

Whereas efficiency in public policy is use of techniques, technologies and various tools which enables the government agencies to achieve their intended policy goals and targets in desired time and manner. Taking the same example as above, if the target was to reach from 20 to 10 within 2 years, and if the target was achieved within 2 years, the public policy would be called effective as well as efficient.

It is more important for a public policy to be effective than only efficient.

Most of the policies adopted by government towards social walfare of citizens should be more effective than efficient. For example, a policy for reducing road accidents needs to be very effective to achieve desired targets