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What is regulation? An interdisciplinary concept analysis
Author(s) -
Koop Christel,
Lodge Martin
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
regulation and governance
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.417
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1748-5991
pISSN - 1748-5983
DOI - 10.1111/rego.12094
Subject(s) - scope (computer science) , discipline , consolidation (business) , field (mathematics) , psychological intervention , sociology , variation (astronomy) , conceptual framework , political science , positive economics , public relations , epistemology , social science , economics , psychology , accounting , philosophy , physics , mathematics , psychiatry , computer science , astrophysics , pure mathematics , programming language
The concept of regulation is believed to suffer from a lack of shared understanding. Yet the maturation of the field raises the question whether this conclusion is still valid. By taking a new methodological approach toward this question of conceptual consolidation, this study assesses how regulation is conceived in the most cited articles in six social science disciplines. Four main conclusions are drawn. First, there is a remarkable absence of explicit definitions. Second, the scope of the concept is vast, which requires us to talk about regulation in rather abstract terms. Third, scholars largely agree that “prototype regulation” is characterized by interventions that are intentional and direct – involving binding standard‐setting, monitoring, and sanctioning – and exercised by public‐sector actors on the economic activities of private‐sector actors. Fourth, while there is considerable variation in research concerns, this variation cannot be attributed to disciplinary differences. Instead, our findings support the portrayal of the field as interdisciplinary, including a shared conception of regulation.