Four Ways We Can Improve Policy Diffusion Research. (March 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gilardi, Fabrizio
• Editors: Boehmke, Frederick J.; Pacheco, Julianna
• Is Part Of: State politics & policy quarterly. Volume 16:Number 1(2016:Mar.)
• Page Start: 8
• Page End: 21
• Publication Date: 2016-03
• Subjects: public policy -- policy innovation/diffusion -- comparative federalism -- federalism -- policy process; State governments -- United States -- Periodicals; Political planning -- United States -- States -- Periodicals; Gouvernements d'États fédérés -- États-Unis -- Périodiques; Politique publique -- États-Unis -- États -- Périodiques; 320.97305
• DOI: 10.1177/1532440015608761
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1532-4400

Abstract

Abstract : This article puts forward four strategies to improve policy diffusion research in political science: (1) use existing concepts consistently and improve their measurement, (2) clarify whether the goal is to improve the understanding of diffusion itself or to use diffusion research to explain another phenomenon, (3) pay more attention to the quality of the research design, and (4) discuss explicitly the practical implications of diffusion. Taken together, these recommendations trace a distinctive way forward for policy diffusion research.