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Identifying proactive and reactive policy entrepreneurs in collaborative networks in flood risk management

Becker, Per LU orcid ; Sparf, Jörgen and Petridou, Evangelia (2024) In Policy & Politics p.1-23
Abstract
A policy entrepreneur is a distinct political actor aiming to affect change. The theoretical narrative
regarding policy entrepreneurs is underpinned by their commitment to a policy solution, the
multi-dimensional strategies they use to promote that solution, and a suite of attributes and skills
facilitating their actions. Policy entrepreneurs reveal themselves through their attempts to transform
policy ideas into policy innovations and, hence, disrupt status quo policy arrangements. Indeed,
policy entrepreneurs share sensibilities with entrepreneurs in the market, whose conceptualisation
serves as a heuristic for their counterparts in policy and politics. The emphasis on change borne
out of innovative solutions... (More)
A policy entrepreneur is a distinct political actor aiming to affect change. The theoretical narrative
regarding policy entrepreneurs is underpinned by their commitment to a policy solution, the
multi-dimensional strategies they use to promote that solution, and a suite of attributes and skills
facilitating their actions. Policy entrepreneurs reveal themselves through their attempts to transform
policy ideas into policy innovations and, hence, disrupt status quo policy arrangements. Indeed,
policy entrepreneurs share sensibilities with entrepreneurs in the market, whose conceptualisation
serves as a heuristic for their counterparts in policy and politics. The emphasis on change borne
out of innovative solutions distinguishes policy entrepreneurs from many other actors who
aim to maintain current institutional settings and power relations. The growing scholarship on
policy entrepreneurship assumes intentionality as inherent to the policy entrepreneur and their
actions, foregrounding the image of the tenacious political actor set on steering their a priori
pet policy to a suitable problem. This article draws from the market theory on entrepreneurship,
contrasting proactive policy entrepreneurship (entrepreneurship by opportunity) and reactive policy
entrepreneurship (entrepreneurship by necessity). We conduct a comparative social network analysis
of three municipalities in southern Sweden focused on flood risk mitigation. We demonstrate two
different logics of policy entrepreneurship (as a result of seizing opportunities versus as a reaction
to vertical pressure), and we explore the consequences for enhancing our understanding of
policy entrepreneurship. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
epub
subject
in
Policy & Politics
pages
1 - 23
publisher
Policy Press
ISSN
0305-5736
DOI
10.1332/03055736Y2023D000000006
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
a4b4c298-0e5a-40c9-b936-49522910442d
date added to LUP
2024-01-08 09:03:41
date last changed
2024-01-08 15:49:48
@article{a4b4c298-0e5a-40c9-b936-49522910442d,
  abstract     = {{A policy entrepreneur is a distinct political actor aiming to affect change. The theoretical narrative<br/>regarding policy entrepreneurs is underpinned by their commitment to a policy solution, the<br/>multi-dimensional strategies they use to promote that solution, and a suite of attributes and skills<br/>facilitating their actions. Policy entrepreneurs reveal themselves through their attempts to transform<br/>policy ideas into policy innovations and, hence, disrupt status quo policy arrangements. Indeed,<br/>policy entrepreneurs share sensibilities with entrepreneurs in the market, whose conceptualisation<br/>serves as a heuristic for their counterparts in policy and politics. The emphasis on change borne<br/>out of innovative solutions distinguishes policy entrepreneurs from many other actors who<br/>aim to maintain current institutional settings and power relations. The growing scholarship on<br/>policy entrepreneurship assumes intentionality as inherent to the policy entrepreneur and their<br/>actions, foregrounding the image of the tenacious political actor set on steering their a priori<br/>pet policy to a suitable problem. This article draws from the market theory on entrepreneurship,<br/>contrasting proactive policy entrepreneurship (entrepreneurship by opportunity) and reactive policy<br/>entrepreneurship (entrepreneurship by necessity). We conduct a comparative social network analysis<br/>of three municipalities in southern Sweden focused on flood risk mitigation. We demonstrate two<br/>different logics of policy entrepreneurship (as a result of seizing opportunities versus as a reaction<br/>to vertical pressure), and we explore the consequences for enhancing our understanding of<br/>policy entrepreneurship.}},
  author       = {{Becker, Per and Sparf, Jörgen and Petridou, Evangelia}},
  issn         = {{0305-5736}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{01}},
  pages        = {{1--23}},
  publisher    = {{Policy Press}},
  series       = {{Policy & Politics}},
  title        = {{Identifying proactive and reactive policy entrepreneurs in collaborative networks in flood risk management}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1332/03055736Y2023D000000006}},
  doi          = {{10.1332/03055736Y2023D000000006}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}