Three habits of successful policy entrepreneurs

Paul Cairney

doi:10.1332/030557318x15230056771696

Abstract

Kingdon’s multiple streams approach is popular because its metaphor and flexible concepts can be applied empirically in most contexts. However, this feature is also its weakness. Most scholars apply MSA superficially, without describing its metaphor’s meaning or connecting concepts to empirical results. This article solves this problem by producing one MSA narrative from a diverse collection of empirical studies. Our hero is the ‘policy entrepreneur’ who knows that the pursuit of ambitious aims such as ‘evidence-based policymaking’ requires framing a problem, having a solution ready, and exploiting the motive and opportunity of policymakers to select it.

Highlights

This is a post-peer-review, pre-copy edited version of an article published in Policy and Politics special issue, Practical Lessons from Policy Theories
I told the well-established story of multiple streams approach (MSA) in relation to new debates on ‘evidence based policymaking’
MSA provides insights which might seem counterintuitive to actors less familiar with policy theories and still hoping for evidence based policymaking’ (EBPM)

Summary

Introduction

This is a post-peer-review, pre-copy edited version of an article published in Policy and Politics special issue, Practical Lessons from Policy Theories (proposed and edited by Chris Weible and Paul Cairney). They know how to adapt to their environment to exploit, or help create, ‘windows of opportunity’ for action, in which policymakers have some motive to select a policy solution during heightened attention to a problem.

Results

Conclusion