Final answer:
The first step in the policy-making process, known as agenda setting, involves getting an issue onto the government's policy agenda. This step is crucial for subsequent policy development stages, including enactment, implementation, and evaluation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Getting an issue on the policy agenda of government is the first step in the process of making policy. This phase, known as agenda setting, involves identifying problems that require government intervention and framing them in a manner that attracts the attention of policymakers.
Agenda setting is a critical stage because it sets the groundwork for further policy development through stages such as policy enactment, implementation, and evaluation.
During the agenda setting phase, advocates must not only identify the issues but also propose compelling solutions that can be paired with the problems and presented to decision-makers.
This phase often includes the steps of problem identification and alternative specification to ensure that a well-considered proposal reaches policymakers. An effective example of the agenda setting stage was the recognition and subsequent action on health care reform, which was framed as a critical issue due to the number of uninsured individuals.