Interdependent policy instrument preferences: a two-mode network approach

Metz, F., Leifeld, P. and Ingold, K. (2019) Interdependent policy instrument preferences: a two-mode network approach. Journal of Public Policy, 39(4), pp. 609-636. (doi: 10.1017/S0143814X18000181)

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Abstract

In policymaking, actors are likely to take the preferences of others into account when strategically positioning themselves. However, there is a lack of research that conceives of policy preferences as an interdependent system. In order to analyse interdependencies, we link actors to their policy preferences in water protection, which results in an actor-instrument network. As actors exhibit multiple preferences, a complex two-mode network between actors and policies emerges. We analyse whether actors exhibit interdependent preference profiles given shared policy objectives or social interactions among them. By fitting an exponential random graph model to the actor-instrument network, we find considerable clustering, meaning that actors tend to exhibit preferences for multiple policy instruments in common. Actors tend to exhibit interdependent policy preferences when they are interconnected, that is, they collaborate with each other. By contrast, actors are less likely to share policy preferences when a conflict line divides them.

Item Type:Articles
Additional Information:The authors would like to thank the Swiss National Science Foundation for their generous support (Grant number CR21I1L_146336, ‘CrossWater – Transboundary Micropollution Regulation in Europe: The Definition of Appropriate Management Scales – An Interdisciplinary Approach’; grant number 105217_140395, ’How to explain instrument selection in complex policy processes’; and grant number 149410, ‘Overlapping Subsystems: Identification and Integration of Fragmented Games in Swiss Water Politics')
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Leifeld, Professor Philip
Authors: Metz, F., Leifeld, P., and Ingold, K.
College/School:College of Social Sciences > School of Social and Political Sciences
Journal Name:Journal of Public Policy
Publisher:Cambridge University Press
ISSN:0143-814X
ISSN (Online):1469-7815
Published Online:30 July 2018
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2018 Cambridge University Press
First Published:First published in Journal of Public Policy 39(4): 609-636
Publisher Policy:Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy
Data DOI:10.7910/DVN/SX7ESZ

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