Thank you for writing to us at the Community Tool Box. We believe the question you pose is asking about the stages that commonly occur when thinking about and executing any policy – these stages can often be divided into identification, analysis, decision, implementation, and evaluation, as your textbook apparently states. Together, these stages can be called the “policy cycle.” Can you think of an example from your own experience?
Note that these stages can apply to many types of organizational policy, not just those for NGO’s. And these stages can also apply to the solving of many other problems in general. But the five stages might not occur in every single case. The five stages, we believe, are a convenient way of understanding the policy and problem-solving process, one that can often be put to use in the real world; but they may vary, and should not be considered a rigid law.
We hope these thoughts may be helpful to you. Thank you again for writing, and all best wishes for success.
