Qualitative network analysis: A useful tool for investigating policy networks in transnational settings?

Abstract

The European Commission designs and promotes policy networks in almost all policy fields. Knowledge about networks is necessary for a better understanding of the overall policymaking process in multilevel governance systems like the European Union (EU). Studying EU networks helps to explain how policies emerge, how they are framed and processed, why they take the character they do, and how they might contribute to understanding the course of European integration. The political system of the EU is characterized by the coexistence and interdependence of formal and informal networks that are part of its multilevel governance. While the interplay of formal and informal actor's networks has been researched to some extent (Klüver, 2014; Mahoney, 2008), informal policy networks have been paid less attention in EU integration theory (Christiansen and Piattoni, 2004)-one reason being that rules for processes, membership, and responsibilities are often not clearly defined and are not readily detectable from the outside. Informal policy networks may include expert groups, civil society organizations (CSOs) such as lobby groups, social partners, or companies that argue about policy content also discussed in the formal policy-making process. Researchers used social network analysis (SNA) as an essential technique to investigate such complex networks among actors, be they individuals, small groups, or international organizations (Carrington et al., 2005; Jansen, 2006; Wasserman and Faust, 1994). SNA allows investigating a broad range of professional and personal networks and their quantitative aspects such as group size, the number, and status of contacts. A common challenge in network analysis is the lack of information on other elements of social life like inter-agency and process-related aspects (Crossley, 2010). Qualitative network analysis (QNA) aims addressing the shortcomings of SNA by applying a micro-perspective instead of a macroperspective and qualitative instead of quantitative methods, and taking an insider instead of an outsider view. A qualitative approach to networks prompts a focus on personal and social networks, for instance, friendships, family relations, or migration ties. Until now, only a few attempts have been made to apply QNA to policy networks (Baumgarten and

Forest Policy Information Networks and the Role of Trust: Cooperative and Competitive Orientations and Underlying Causes

“…To answer the empirical questions, a qualitative network analysis (QNA) was chosen as a research strategy. Although QNA is relatively young and lacks systematic introductions and a distinctive methodology of its own, recent studies [21,35,36] suggested it as a useful technique to explore policy network-related questions from a qualitative perspective. More specifically, by employing qualitative research methods, the QNA unfolds the subjective orientations of the network actors, who have their own perceptions of whom in the network they can trust or not and why.…”

“…This, in contrast to quantitative SNA, allows for obtaining an "insider" instead of an "outsider" view of network relationships, which takes better into account underlying causes for the respective orientation and thus capturing the complexity and dynamics of social interaction in a policy network. To omit this "insider" view would provide a wrong image of the real structure of a policy network [21,24].…”

“…QNA makes use of common qualitative research strategies, like interviewing, observing, and analyzing documents and archival material [21,35]. For the purpose of this paper, 15 semi-structured interviews were conducted with representatives of key nature conservation and forestry actors that use and/or produce forest information for forest policy making at the national level (Table 1).…”

“…However, although these studies certainly confirm trust as an important ingredient for collaborative action in forest policy networks, they provide limited insights into the role of trust in forest information exchange. Furthermore, although the SNA approach has proven valuable in mapping out trust in forest policy networks, generally it is criticized for omitting underlying causes and hence failing to take into account the dynamics that are associated with complex social interaction in a policy network [20][21][22].…”

Determinants of physician networks: an ethnographic study examining the processes that inform patterns of collaboration and referral decision-making among physicians

“…[27][28][29] Qualitative, inductive research strategies are well suited to help address these gaps because they can help 'open up and explore complexities boxed off in quantitative work', 30 and investigate the context and understanding of the social processes that shape referral decision-making behaviours. [31][32][33] Thus qualitative research can be a very effective means to evaluate concepts that are difficult to measure quantitatively. In doing so, this research helps add depth and nuance to our understanding of referral networks.…”