Policy innovations in India: an exploration of their successful diffusion

Abstract

Innovation in policy-making is seldom observed and requires robust exploration of the process of innovation. Innovation is carried out by policy entrepreneurs, both within and outside of the government, while implementation occurs through the executive branch of the government. Diffusion of innovation happens over a period of time involving myriad actors. The process of innovation in policies is to be understood with the precursors, enablers and disablers of the innovation leading to its diffusion. The objective of this paper is to determine the conditions for successful diffusion of innovation. The authors have followed a grounded theory approach to develop a theoretical model which would help policymakers to innovate in social policies. They took in-depth interviews of policy-makers who have been involved in an innovative policy and analysed government documents as well peer reviewed research papers. The interviews and document analysis were used to figure out the precursors, enabling and disabling factors for policy innovations. This allowed the authors to come up with the conditions of successful diffusion of an innovative policy. The paper concludes with recommendations for diffusing a policy innovation in a better way.