Analysts need problem definitions that recognize geographic and socio logical differences as a prelude to policy development. Failure to include all constituencies and options that might reasonably be considered in defining policy problems amounts to a major economic and political mistake. That is, a policy that does not deal with all dimensions of the problem at hand will permit underlying social conflicts to fester and lead to wasted public expenditures. For this reason, policy development should include safeguards for public notice and comment, active participation, and a transparent appeal process.
As might be expected, the stakeholder with the greatest number of political resources (technical sophistication, rewards and punishments, charisma, and intense supporters) will have the most influence on problem definition and the ultimate selection of alternatives. For example, suppose that the number of complaints in a community about stray dogs has been increasing annually. Suppose also that the number of impoundments has been decreasing at a similar rate. This is not in Bucharest, but a typical town in the United States. Based on this limited information, what would be the "animal control problem"? With reference to standard services and fiscal tools available for stray dog problems, the problem can be subdivided into regulatory and investment related factors. That is, the dog problem might be caused by the absence of .