Policy learning in Swiss research policy—the case of the National Centres of Competence in Research

Braun, Dietmar; Benninghoff, Martin

doi:10.1016/s0048-7333(03)00063-5

Cited by 36 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…The concept of policy learning relates to another dimension of policy change, namely how policy actors make a deliberate attempt to adjust the goals or techniques of policy in response to past experience or new information (Hall, 1993;Braun and Benninghoff, 2003). It is thus rooted in traditions focusing on the role of ideas as driving forces for policy (Heclo, 1974), but also in sociological institutionalism where institutions identify and then adapt to a changing environment through a trial-and-error process, while changes in policies and practices need to be legitimated by new rationales and beliefs (Olsen and Peters, 1996).…”

Section: Policy Learning and International Policy Transfermentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While rational-choice approaches conceive this process as rational with actors looking for the best solutions to emerging problems, normative institutionalism assumes that the repertoire of answers to policy problems is largely driven by solutions already in place. Thus, there are strong cognitive and intellectual limitations of the actor's behaviour (Olsen and Peters, 1996;Braun and Benninghoff, 2003), implying that they do not make optimal choices but tend accept satisfying solutions which match their beliefs and expectations.…”

Section: Policy Processes Streams and Entrepreneursmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Between historical heritage and policy learning: the reform of public research funding systems in Poland, 1989–2007

Jabłecka

Lepori

2009

Sci. and Pub. Pol.

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This paper provides an account of the reform of the public research funding system in Poland between 1989 and 2007, a period which includes the dramatic change after the breakdown of the Communist regime with the creation of a completely new system of research funding, yet still characterized by strong centralization; a lock-in phase until 2000 where only minimal changes happened; and a new reform period afterwards leading to a more decentralized and layered structure with a better separation between research policy and research funding. Our analysis displays strong elements on continuity and path dependency in this evolution, but at the same time the lasting influence of the western European model of research policy in the long run (especially after Poland joined the European Union); moreover, it shows how deeply reform in research funding has been embedded in the national context and in the whole process of reform of political institutions in the country.

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Section: Policy Learning and International Policy Transfermentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Policy Processes Streams and Entrepreneursmentioning

confidence: 99%

Between historical heritage and policy learning: the reform of public research funding systems in Poland, 1989–2007

Jabłecka

Lepori

2009

Sci. and Pub. Pol.

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“…In this way, the council will be intermediating between the interests of policy-makers and the scientific community (Braun and Benninghoff, 2003;van der Meulen, 2003).…”

Section: Principal-agent Approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

Between policy and science: research councils' responsiveness in Austria, Norway and Switzerland

2007

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This paper investigates the developments of research councils in Austria, Norway and Switzerland, and analyses their responsiveness to government and science. By use of various data sources and indicators, our results suggest that councils are sometimes more responsive to the beneficiaries' interests (science) than to policy-makers, but are more responsive to government policies when under stronger government control. Patterns of responsiveness tend to be stable through time despite important changes in national contexts and the changing roles and organisation of research councils. These findings have interesting theoretical consequences about responsiveness and independence ESEARCH COUNCILS have been the preferred way of institutionalising 'the second stream' of research funding in most industrialised countries. Both researchers and research institutions are perceiving council funding for research projects allocated through research grants, programmes and projects as increasingly important (Geuna, 2001;Geuna and Martin, 2003). Instruments and criteria are co-decisive for the selection of research topics, for researchers' adaptive strategies and their ability to perform high quality research (Laudel, 2006), but also because general government appropriations often are tied up with the coverage of running costs, leaving the institutions with little freedom. Funding from intermediaries such as research councils might thus be the only way to make possible new research initiatives and thereby scientific development.Research councils are in many ways semiindependent agencies operating at arm's length from government and can often be closely linked to the research community. Their loyalty can thus be bidirectional, and the councils might have to balance between the interests of policy-makers and scientists. Our main concern is to analyse how research councils act as intermediaries influenced by national research policies on one hand and the research community on the other. By comparing research councils in Austria, Norway and Switzerland, we will shed light on the importance of the councils' embeddedness in national contexts and history for how they play their roles.We first introduce the research questions we are posing. Then we discuss the theoretical framework underlying our understanding of research councils' actions and responses to policy, before we lay out the chosen analytical model and methodology. We then present the councils and give empirical evidence on the developments along the selected variables. Finally, we discuss the findings. Research questionsResearch councils play a crucial role in scientific development and in science policy in most industrial countries and are often assigned the task of allocating R Stig Slipersaeter is NIFU STEP,

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“…Without taking into account power relations between policy actors -visible and invisible (Bachrach/Baratz 1962, Digeser 1992 -it is not possible to arrive at a sensible interpretation of political actions. Policy learning takes place before and in the framework of power relations: sometimes it is even driven by these (Braun/Benninghoff 2003).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Innovations in Innovation Policy Making. The Austrian Competence Centre Programme K+

Biegelbauer¹

2006

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In 1998 the first Competence Centre Programme, K+, a multi-actors and multi-measures research and technological development (RTD) policy, was introduced to Austria. Whilst the policy initiative had predecessors in the USA, Australia, Sweden and other OECD countries, it was the first of its kind for Austria. The programme was a major policy innovation for the country, not only due to its novel instruments and goals, but also because it was created in a new way, breaking with the policy style dominant in the RTD policy field before.The paper looks into the question why this major policy innovation, which in the meantime has been recognised as a best practice model by international consultants and the OECD alike, could take place. This analysis applies the policy learning approach, considers the knowledge resources utilized for the programme creation, implementation and evaluation as well as different forms of learning which took place.

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Policy learning in Swiss research policy—the case of the National Centres of Competence in Research

Cited by 36 publications

References 12 publications

Between historical heritage and policy learning: the reform of public research funding systems in Poland, 1989–2007

Between historical heritage and policy learning: the reform of public research funding systems in Poland, 1989–2007

Between policy and science: research councils' responsiveness in Austria, Norway and Switzerland

Innovations in Innovation Policy Making. The Austrian Competence Centre Programme K+

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