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AMBIGUITY IN POLICY LESSONS: THE AGENCIFICATION EXPERIENCE
Author(s) -
MOYNIHAN DONALD P.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
public administration
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.313
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1467-9299
pISSN - 0033-3298
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-9299.2006.00625.x
Subject(s) - ambiguity , context (archaeology) , doctrine , policy transfer , interpretation (philosophy) , public policy , public sector , process (computing) , experiential learning , policy analysis , business , political science , economics , public relations , public economics , public administration , computer science , law , biology , programming language , operating system , paleontology
The policy transfer literature identifies the importance of context in shaping policy selection. However, countries with distinctly different contexts are pursuing the agencification of the public sector. Why? The solution to this puzzle lies in the ambiguity associated with public management ideas, which allows policy adopters room to interpret management doctrines and experience. The result is that public management ideas that carry the same identifying label can mask variation in the understanding of the policy, the motivation for adoption and in implementation outcomes. The process of interpretation allows policy‐makers in different contexts to: (1) adopt superficially similar policy concepts; (2) overlook negative experiential learning that contradicts the policy doctrine; and (3) adopt policies unsuitable to the national context.