Policies, politics and organisational problems: Multiple streams and the implementation of targets in UK government

Christina Boswell; Eugenia Rodrigues

doi:10.1332/030557315X14477577990650

Policies, politics and organisational problems: Multiple streams and the implementation of targets in UK government

Christina Boswell, Eugenia Rodrigues

School of Social and Political Science

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Kingdon's multiple streams approach has recently been applied to study implementation across sectors or levels of government. Building on these contributions, we suggest that two streams are especially important in shaping implementation: organisational problem constructions and political pressure from the centre. These variables produce a four-way typology of implementation modes. We test the model by analysing implementation of UK targets on asylum, defence and climate change, drawing on 54 semi-structured interviews with policy actors. The analysis shows how organisations can shift between modes of implementation over time, responding to changes in organisational problems and central political commitment to the policy.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	507-524
Number of pages	18
Journal	Policy and Politics
Volume	44
Issue number	4
Early online date	17 Nov 2015
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1332/030557315X14477577990650
Publication status	Published - Oct 2016

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

public administration
multiple streams approach
implementation
performance targets

Access to Document

10.1332/030557315X14477577990650

BoswellRodriguesPP2016PoliciesPoliticsAndOrganisationalProblems
This is a post-peer-review, pre-copy edited version of an article published in Policy & Politics. The definitive publisher-authenticated version of Boswell, C., & Rodrigues, E. (2016). Policies, politics and organisational problems: Multiple streams and the implementation of targets in UK government. Policy and Politics, 44(4), 507-524 is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1332/030557315X14477577990650
Accepted author manuscript, 586 KB

2 Finished

The Politics of Monitoring: Information, Indicators and Targets in Climate Change, Defence and Immigration Policy.
Boswell, C.
ESRC
1/04/13 → 30/06/16
Project: Research
PoM: The Politics of Monitoring:Information, Indicators and Targets in Climate Change, Defense and Immigration Policy
Rodrigues, E., Boswell, C., Yearley, S. & Spinardi, G.
1/04/13 → 30/06/16
Project: Research

1 Working paper

Monitoring, Numbers and Empirical Governance: Lessons from Climate and Migration Monitoring in the UK
Yearley, S. & Rodrigues, E., 2016, 10 p.
Research output: Working paper

1 Participation in workshop, seminar, course

Policy Round-Table on Carbon Emissions Targets
Eugenia Rodrigues (Organiser) & Steven Yearley (Organiser)
16 Oct 2016
Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in workshop, seminar, course

Christina Boswell
- University Secretary - Vice-Principal Research and Enterprise
Person: Academic: Research Active
Eugenia Rodrigues
- eugenia.rodriguesed.acuk
- School of Social and Political Science - Lecturer in Science, Technology and Innovation Studies
Person: Academic: Research Active

Cite this

@article{fa2f6f60473b43dcb6a236c20d8d8a12,

title = "Policies, politics and organisational problems: Multiple streams and the implementation of targets in UK government",

abstract = "Kingdon's multiple streams approach has recently been applied to study implementation across sectors or levels of government. Building on these contributions, we suggest that two streams are especially important in shaping implementation: organisational problem constructions and political pressure from the centre. These variables produce a four-way typology of implementation modes. We test the model by analysing implementation of UK targets on asylum, defence and climate change, drawing on 54 semi-structured interviews with policy actors. The analysis shows how organisations can shift between modes of implementation over time, responding to changes in organisational problems and central political commitment to the policy.",

keywords = "public administration, multiple streams approach, implementation, performance targets",

author = "Christina Boswell and Eugenia Rodrigues",

year = "2016",

month = oct,

doi = "10.1332/030557315X14477577990650",

language = "English",

volume = "44",

pages = "507--524",

journal = "Policy and Politics",

issn = "0305-5736",

publisher = "Policy Press",

number = "4",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Policies, politics and organisational problems

T2 - Multiple streams and the implementation of targets in UK government

AU - Boswell, Christina

AU - Rodrigues, Eugenia

PY - 2016/10

Y1 - 2016/10

N2 - Kingdon's multiple streams approach has recently been applied to study implementation across sectors or levels of government. Building on these contributions, we suggest that two streams are especially important in shaping implementation: organisational problem constructions and political pressure from the centre. These variables produce a four-way typology of implementation modes. We test the model by analysing implementation of UK targets on asylum, defence and climate change, drawing on 54 semi-structured interviews with policy actors. The analysis shows how organisations can shift between modes of implementation over time, responding to changes in organisational problems and central political commitment to the policy.

AB - Kingdon's multiple streams approach has recently been applied to study implementation across sectors or levels of government. Building on these contributions, we suggest that two streams are especially important in shaping implementation: organisational problem constructions and political pressure from the centre. These variables produce a four-way typology of implementation modes. We test the model by analysing implementation of UK targets on asylum, defence and climate change, drawing on 54 semi-structured interviews with policy actors. The analysis shows how organisations can shift between modes of implementation over time, responding to changes in organisational problems and central political commitment to the policy.

KW - public administration

KW - multiple streams approach

KW - implementation

KW - performance targets

U2 - 10.1332/030557315X14477577990650

DO - 10.1332/030557315X14477577990650

M3 - Article

SN - 0305-5736

VL - 44

SP - 507

EP - 524

JO - Policy and Politics

JF - Policy and Politics

IS - 4

ER -

Policies, politics and organisational problems: Multiple streams and the implementation of targets in UK government

Abstract

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Projects

The Politics of Monitoring: Information, Indicators and Targets in Climate Change, Defence and Immigration Policy.

PoM: The Politics of Monitoring:Information, Indicators and Targets in Climate Change, Defense and Immigration Policy

Research output

Monitoring, Numbers and Empirical Governance: Lessons from Climate and Migration Monitoring in the UK

Activities

Policy Round-Table on Carbon Emissions Targets

Profiles

Christina Boswell

Eugenia Rodrigues

Cite this