A Heat Transfer Model for Policy Diffusion

Abstract

:Government policy affects the competitiveness of engineering companies; however, the literature describes a landscape in which technical professionals are largely absent from the policy-making process, resulting in sub-optimal policy outcomes and compromised competitive stances. This article describes ongoing efforts to derive a framework for policy decision-making by engineering managers. The framework is based on the principles of heat and mass transfer. Specifically, models of heat transfer – conduction, convection and radiation – in the physical sciences, are used to describe policy transfer scenarios. An initial comparison of the model for conduction is made with the innovativeness model from public policy research, in the context of policy diffusion among U.S. states. We highlight limitations in the current model, the need for additional data, and the potential for improved specification in diffusion research.