What are the four types of policy?
Types of Policy
Policies guide decision-making and actions in organizations, governments, and institutions. There are four widely recognized types of policy:
- Public Policy
These are policies formulated and implemented by government bodies to address issues affecting the public domain. Examples include health policy, education policy, and environmental policy.
- Organizational Policy
These are internal guidelines set by organizations or businesses to regulate their operations and employee behavior. Examples include HR policies, IT usage policies, and workplace safety policies.
- Functional Policy
These policies are specific to a particular function or department within an organization. They guide specialized areas such as marketing, finance, or production. Examples include marketing policies, financial policies, and procurement policies.
- Distributive, Regulatory, Redistributive, and Constituent Policy
In the context of public administration, policy types are also often classified as:
- Distributive Policy: Allocates resources and services to specific groups (e.g., public works projects).
- Regulatory Policy: Restricts or controls the behavior of individuals or groups (e.g., environmental regulations).
- Redistributive Policy: Shifts resources from one group to another (e.g., welfare programs).
- Constituent Policy: Creates or reorganizes institutions or government structures (e.g., administrative reforms).
Depending on context, references to "four types of policy" may refer to either the broad organizational categories or the four public policy typologies.