Understanding Policy Transfer: A Multi‐Level, Multi‐Disciplinary Perspective

Abstract

At the same time that comparative and international political scientists have been confronting the problems of analysing state behaviour under conditions of uncertainty, state-centred political scientists are attempting, somewhat belatedly, to deal with the increasing complexity and uncertainty which underpins modern governance. Yet despite similar research agendas these disciplines have continued to speak past each other. This article contends that policy transfer analysis can provide a context for integrating some key concerns of these disciplines. Further, we argue that the process of policy transfer should be examined through a structure and agency approach with three dimensions: global, international and transnational levels, the macro-level and the interorganizational level. This three-dimensional model employs the notion of a policy transfer network as a middle-range level of analysis which links a particular form of policy development (policy transfer), microdecision making in organizations, macro-systems and global, transnational and international systems. It is hoped that this approach will stimulate an empirical research agenda which will illuminate important policy developments in domestic and world politics.

Public health nutrition workforce development in seven European countries: constraining and enabling factors

“…The influence of expert networks, policy entrepreneurs and agents of change has been examined in policy diffusion and agenda-setting studies (42)(43)(44)(45)(46)(47)(48) . In his diffusion theory of innovations, Rogers describes opinion leaders and technically skilled agents of change as important factors in the diffusion of innovation and new practices (49) .…”

Distorted policy transfer? South Korea’s adaptation of UK social enterprise policy

“…During the process of formulating social enterprise policies and legislation, the South Korean government, think tanks and academics showed considerable interest in the policies and laws of other countries including, among others, the UK (e.g., ML, 2006;Uri Party, 2006;Chung and Song, 2010). Within the field of public policy, the policy transfer framework has made considerable progress in analyzing the way that this kind of interest may result in the borrowing of policies (e.g., Marsh, 1996, 2000;Evans and Davies, 1999;, 2004Evans, 2009;Marsh and Sharman, 2009;Benson and Jordan, 2011). Although policy transfer research has long stressed hybridization (Dolowitz and Marsh, 1996), a criticism is that there is a tendency in the literature to privilege the role of government over other actors or stakeholders (Peck, 2011;McCann and Ward, 2012;Stone, 2012).…”

“…Policy transfer has been a key part of this shift, as researchers have attempted to not only improve understanding of policy interconnectedness, but also the processes involved in the movement of policy. Building upon earlier concepts, including policy diffusion (Walker, 1969;Berry and Berry, 1990) and policy convergence (Bennett, 1991), policy transfer received attention from a number of researchers from the 1990s (e.g., Dolowitz and Marsh, 1996;Evans and Davies, 1999;Stone, 1999). Dolowitz and Marsh define policy transfer as 'the process by which actors borrow policies developed in one setting to develop programmes and policies within another ' (1996: 357).…”

Urban Sustainability: Learning from Best Practice?

“…Although scant research has been undertaken on transfers at the local level (Dolowitz and Marsh, 2000, page 13; for an exception, see Wolman and Page, 2002), the frameworks which have been applied to the analysis of policy transfer between countries could serve to explain interactions between municipal governments. This process can be undertaken by a number of different agents, operating between different government systems; can involve policies, programmes or ideas, and can be more or less voluntary (Dolowitz and Marsh, 1996;2000;Evans and Davies, 1999). Dolowitz and Marsh, (2000, page 13) suggest that, although these factors lead to an array of different forms of transfer, four different degrees of transfer can be identified: copying, emulation, combinations, and inspiration.…”