The ‘Scottish approach’ to policy and policymaking: what issues are territorial and what are universal?

Citation

Cairney P, Russell S & St Denny E (2016) The ‘Scottish approach’ to policy and policymaking: what issues are territorial and what are universal?. Policy and Politics, 44 (3), pp. 333-350. https://doi.org/10.1332/030557315X14353331264538

Abstract
The ‘Scottish approach' refers to its distinctive way to make and implement policy. Its reputation suggests that it is relatively comfortable with local discretion and variations in policy outcomes. Yet, policymakers are subject to ‘universal' processes - limited knowledge, attention and coordinative capacity, and high levels of ambiguity, discretion and complexity in policy processes - which already undermine central control and produce variation. If policy is a mix of deliberate and unintended outcomes, a focus on policy styles may exaggerate a government's ability to do things differently. We demonstrate these issues in two ‘cross cutting' policies: ‘prevention' and ‘transition'. complexity ; devolution; prevention; transition

Keywords
complexity ; devolution; prevention; transition

Notes
This article was among the most highly cited articles published in Policy & Politics 2016 and 2017: http://policy.bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/journals/policy-and-politics/highly-cited

Journal
Policy and Politics: Volume 44, Issue 3

People

Professor Paul Cairney

Professor, Politics