Cover -- Title -- Copyright -- Contents -- List of figures -- List of tables -- List of boxes -- Acknowledgments -- 1. Introduction: managing the policy process -- Why is managing the policy process important? -- A difficult policy world: the challenges of governance -- Policy functions and processes: design and management of effective policies -- Understanding the policy process -- Actors in the policy process: policy "communities"--Managing the policy process: policy acumen, analytical skills, and managerial expertise -- References -- 2. Agenda-setting -- The basics of agenda-setting -- What is the content of agendas? -- Phases in agenda-setting -- Challenges in agenda-setting -- Strategies for policy actors in agenda-setting -- Conclusion: the need to manage the agenda-setting process -- References -- 3. Policy formulation -- The basics of policy formulation -- Challenges in policy formulation -- Strategies to improve policy formulation -- Conclusion: the need for analytical capacity -- References -- 4. Decision-making -- The basics of decision-making -- Decision-making models -- The decision-making process -- Challenges in decision-making -- Strategies for effective decision-making -- Conclusion: better decisions help improve implementations and outcomes -- References -- 5. Policy implementation -- The basics of policy implementation -- The importance of understanding context -- Challenges in policy implementation -- Strategies for public managers in policy implementation -- Conclusion: policy implementation as successful network management -- References -- 6. Policy evaluation -- The basics of policy evaluation -- The process of policy evaluation -- Types of evaluation -- Utilization of evaluation results -- Challenges in policy evaluation -- Strategies for evaluators -- Conclusion: focusing on learning -- References