ABSTRACT
From a management standpoint, a policy is a plan that states in very general terms actions that are needed to meet organizational goals. This de—nition can be modi—ed to re¥ect policies developed by governments, which would be referred to as public policies. These policies address goals considered actions important to society. Public policy is of interest to the engineering profession because of the societal values that are embedded within public policies and the effect of policy on engineering design and practice.
