Comparison of Policy Experiments: Practices in Asia. Issue 4 (3rd July 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhu, Xufeng; Zhang, Youlang
• Is Part Of: Journal of comparative policy analysis. Volume 22:Issue 4(2020)
• Page Start: 275
• Page End: 280
• Publication Date: 2020-07-03
• Subjects: policy experiment -- Asia -- comparative policy analysis; Social policy -- Comparative method -- Periodicals; 320.6
• DOI: 10.1080/13876988.2019.1711059
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1387-6988

Abstract

Abstract: Policy experimentation has become a global trend in recent decades. The dynamics of policy experiments in Western countries have been extensively investigated, whereas those in non-Western contexts have not. The latter is theoretically relevant in testing the generalizability of existing theoretical arguments and provides opportunities for developing new theories, and practically relevant given that academic research could provide scientific evidence that facilitates the decision-making of practitioners. This introduction summarizes six articles that examine the practices of policy experiments in Asia and identify multiple patterns of policy experimentation, such as policy laboratories, policy syntheses, and proportionate policy responses. Particularly, evidence drawn from China, India, and Singapore suggests that policy experiments tend to fit the characteristics and scale of the policy problem and the risks or uncertainty of the policy environment.