The heart of bureaucratic power: Explaining international bureaucracies’ expert authority

Abstract

Expert authority is regarded as the heart of international bureaucracies’ power. To measure whether international bureaucracies’ expert authority is indeed recognised and deferred to, we draw on novel data from a survey of a key audience: officials in the policy units of national ministries in 121 countries. Respondents were asked to what extent they recognised the expert authority of nine international bureaucracies in various thematic areas of agricultural and financial policy. The results show wide variance. To explain this variation, we test well-established assumptions on the sources of de facto expert authority. Specifically, we look at ministry officials’ perceptions of these sources and, thus, focus on a less-studied aspect of the authority relationship. We examine the role of international bureaucracies’ perceived impartiality, objectivity, global impact, and the role of knowledge asymmetries. Contrary to common assumptions, we find that de facto expert authority does not rest on impartiality perceptions, and that perceived objectivity plays the smallest role of all factors considered. We find some indications that knowledge asymmetries are associated with more expert authority. Still, and robust to various alternative specifications, the perception that international bureaucracies are effectively addressing global challenges is the most important factor.

Policy recommendations of international bureaucracies: the importance of country-specificity

“…To test our argument, we draw on data collected through a global survey in 2016 (Liese et al., 2021). Therefore, we rely on measuring the attributed influence of policy recommendations (Dür, 2008; March, 1955).…”

The bureaucratic politics of WTO priorities: Where officials sit influences where they stand

“…Both will be associated with more heterogeneity in views between Geneva and capitals than would pertain for OECD countries. 16 For example, Liese et al (2021) survey officials in 121 national ministries to assess to what extent they recognized the expert authority of nine international bureaucracies in various economic policy areas; similarly survey officials in 106 countries to assess whether they consider the policy advice of 13 international bureaucracies. Gray and Slapin (2012) use a survey to assess expert views on the effectiveness of trade agreements.…”

Legitimation and Delegitimation in Global Governance

“…In addition, individual companies increasingly participate in global public-private partnerships with GGIs, providing resources and influencing priorities . For their part, staff of GGIs may be targeted by legitimation and delegitimation due to perceptions of international bureaucratic power being strong in global governance, enabling staff to influence international policies (Liese et al 2021). Taken together, this leads us to expect that non-constituencies may also be important targets of legitimation and delegitimation.…”