Policy Entrepreneurs, Policy Opportunists, and Legislative Effectiveness

Weissert, Carol S.

doi:10.1177/1532673x9101900207

Cited by 87 publications

(63 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…The important role of individuals in advancing policy change has also been emphasized at the level of international policies, for example, in comprehensive studies on the influence of the lead executive officers of international organizations (Biermann and Siebenhüner 2009). Since the early 1980s, this topic has received attention from various policy scientists (see, e.g., Kingdon 1984, King and Roberts 1987, Weissert 1991, Baumgartner and Jones 1993, who have shown that there is room for individual actors to help stimulate or redirect debate about policy issues. Building and synthesizing upon this work, scholars have given increasing attention to policy entrepreneurs (see, e.g., Young 1991, Schiller 1995, Schneider et al 1995, Mintrom and Vergari 1996, 1998, Mintrom 2000.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Towards Adaptive Management: Examining the Strategies of Policy Entrepreneurs in Dutch Water Management

Brouwer¹,

Biermann²

2011

E&S

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ABSTRACT. The growing awareness of the complexities and uncertainties in water management has put into question the existing paradigms in this field. Increasingly more flexible, integrated, and adaptive policies are promoted. In this context, the understanding of how to effect policy change is becoming more important. This article analyzes policy making at the micro level, focusing on the behavior of policy entrepreneurs, which we understand here as risk-taking bureaucrats who seek to change policy and are involved throughout the policy-change process. Policy entrepreneurs have received a certain level of attention in the adaptive co-management literature and the policy sciences in past decades. Yet, the understanding of the actions they can take to facilitate policy change remains limited. This study addresses this gap in focusing on the strategies that policy entrepreneurs employ in their efforts to effect policy change. The article draws on both theoretical exploration and in-depth field research on water management in the Netherlands, which included a series of semi-structured interviews and a focus group with policy entrepreneurs. We conclude that policy entrepreneurs employ four types of strategies: (1) attention and support-seeking strategies, to demonstrate the significance of a problem and to convince a wide range of participants about their preferred policy; (2) linking strategies, to link with other parties, projects, ideas, and policy games; (3) relational management strategies, to manage the relational factor in policy-change trajectories; and finally, (4) arena strategies, to influence the time and place wherein decisions are made. Our study suggests that by employing these strategies when the "time is right," the development of policy streams and consequently their coupling can, to some extent, be influenced and steered. In other words, policy entrepreneurs can, to a degree, prepare for a window of opportunity and hence direct policy change.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Towards Adaptive Management: Examining the Strategies of Policy Entrepreneurs in Dutch Water Management

Brouwer¹,

Biermann²

2011

E&S

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“…Characteristics such as rationality, the ability to see new possibilities offered by the evolving historical situation and a desire to 'make a difference' are also seen as important (Doig and Hargrove 1987). Weissert (1991) suggests that they do so by raising awareness of issues and moving them from incubation to enactment. Engaging in dissemination and demonstration activities, collaboration with elites and gaining media attention are also facets of entrepreneurship suggested by Roberts and King (1991).…”

Section: Subnational Climate Entrepreneurshipmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The development or 'invention' of AB32 and Law 13,798 can be understood as 'inherently disruptive processes' (Jordan and Huitema 2014a, p. 718) in their respective territories. These two acts were sponsored by civil society organisations to get them on the legislative roster-moving them from incubation to enactment (following Weissert 1991). Both received bi-partisan support and both deliver medium-term goals, which will be realised several electoral cycles into the future.…”

Section: Establishing Ambitious Legislation and Action Plans (Invention)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Subnational climate entrepreneurship: innovative climate action in California and São Paulo

Anderton

Setzer²

2017

Reg Environ Change

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The distinct role of subnational governments such as states and provinces in addressing climate change has been increasingly acknowledged. But while most studies investigate the causes and consequences of particular governments' actions and networking activities, this article argues that subnational governments can develop climate action as a collective entrepreneurial activity. Addressing many elements explored in this special issue, it focuses on the second question and identifies climate entrepreneurship in two subnational governments-the states of California (USA) and São Paulo (Brazil). Examining internal action, as well as interaction with local authorities, national governments and the international regime, entrepreneurial activities are identified in the invention, diffusion and evaluation of subnational climate policy in each case. The article draws from the recent scholarship on policy innovation, entrepreneurship and climate governance. It contributes to the literature by exploring entrepreneurial subnational government activity in addressing climate change and expanding the understanding of the effects of policy innovation at the subnational level.

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“…Others are outside of government. With regard to the former, Weissert (1991), Schiller (1995), and Carter and Scott (2010) focused upon legislators as entrepreneurs. Ness (2008) found that legislative leaders from both the state house and senate in New Mexico used their connections to enact merit aid legislation.…”

Section: The Role Of Public Entrepreneurs In the Diffusion Of Innovatmentioning

confidence: 99%

Public entrepreneurs and the adoption of broad-based merit aid beyond the Southeastern United States

Ingle

Petroff

2013

EPAA

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Abstract:The concentration of broad-based merit aid adoption in the southeastern United States has been well noted in the literature. However, there are states that have adopted broad-based merit aid programs outside of the Southeast. Guided by multiple theoretical frameworks, including innovation diffusion theory (e.g., Gray, 1973Gray, , 1994Rogers, 2003), Roberts and King's (1991) typology of public entrepreneurs, and Anderson's (2003) stages of the policymaking process, this qualitative study sought to answer the following questions. First, in the absence of regional diffusion pressures, what internal determinants are reported as accounting for the diffusion of broad-based merit aid programs outside of the Southeastern US? What types of public entrepreneurs were identified as playing key roles in establishing merit aid in states outside the southeastern US? During which stages of the policymaking process were they active? We found that merit aid was a means of addressing an array of public problems, including low college going rates at in -state public colleges and universities, and weak K-12 accountability. Consistent factors reported as facilitating merit aid creation included a strong, vocal public advocate (governors and a university system president) and a desire to strengthen state economies and diversify Education Policy Analysis Archives Vol. 21 No. 58 2 workforces. A full range of public entrepreneurs played key roles in developing merit aid in the sampled states. Political and executive entrepreneurs were in the forefront of merit aid efforts, but our data suggest that a cast of supporting public entrepreneurs were integral to the eventual adoption of broad-based merit aid in the sampled states. Keywords: political analysis; postsecondary education policy; public entrepreneurs; innovation; diffusion.Emprendedores públicos y la adopción de sistemas de ayuda meritocráticos de base amplia más allá del sureste de Estados Unidos Resumen: La concentración de la adopción de sistemas de ayuda meritocráticos de base amplia en el sureste de Estados Unidos ha sido bien discutida en la literatura. Sin embargo, hay estados que han adoptado programas de ayuda al mérito de base amplia parte más allá del sureste. Guiados por marcos teóricos múltiples, incluyendo la teoría de la innovación de difusión (por ejemplo, Gray, 1973, 1994, Rogers, 2003, Roberts y King (1991) tipología de emprendedores públicos y las etapas del proceso de formulación de políticas de Anderson (2003), este estudio cualitativo buscó responder a las siguientes preguntas. En primer lugar, cuando no existen presiones de difusión regional, cuales son los determinantes internos que explican la difusión de los programas de ayuda al mérito de amplia base más allá del sureste de EE.UU.? ¿Qué tipos de emprendedores públicos fueron identificados como jugando un papel clave en el establecimiento de ayudas mérito en estados más allá del sureste de EE.UU? En qué etapas del proceso de formulación de políticas son activos? Encontramos que la ayuda meritocrát...

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Policy Entrepreneurs, Policy Opportunists, and Legislative Effectiveness

Cited by 87 publications

References 7 publications

Towards Adaptive Management: Examining the Strategies of Policy Entrepreneurs in Dutch Water Management

Towards Adaptive Management: Examining the Strategies of Policy Entrepreneurs in Dutch Water Management

Subnational climate entrepreneurship: innovative climate action in California and São Paulo

Public entrepreneurs and the adoption of broad-based merit aid beyond the Southeastern United States

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