The five methods used to carry out foreign policy:
Explanation:
-The evaluation of the international and domestic political environment: Foreign policy is made and applied within an international and domestic political context, which must be understood by a state to determine the best foreign policy option. For example, a state may need to respond to an international crisis.
-Configuration of goals: - A state has multiple goals in foreign policy. A state must determine which goals are affected by the international and domestic political environment at any given time. In addition, foreign policy goals can oppose each other, which will force the state to prioritize.
-The determination of political options: - A state must then determine what political options are available to find the goal (or set of goals) in light of the given political environment. It will imply an evaluation of the capacity of the state to apply the different political options and an evaluation of the consequences of each political option.
-Formal decision-making action - A formal foreign policy decision will be taken at some level within a government. Foreign policy decisions are generally taken by the executive branch of government. The most common government actors or institutions in foreign policy decision making include: the head of state (for example a president) or the head of government (for example a prime minister), the cabinet, and / or the minister.
-The application or implementation of the chosen political option - Once a foreign policy option has been chosen, and a formal decision has been taken, then said policy must be applied. Foreign policy is commonly developed and carried out by departments specialized in foreign policy of the state bureaucracy, such as a Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Europe) or a Department of State (United States). Other departments may also have a role in the implementation of foreign policy, such as departments for: trade, defense, and aid.
