Does voluntary cooperation in member state implementation require top-down steering? The case of regional policy in Switzerland
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Date
2022-04
Publication Type
Journal Article
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yes
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Abstract
This article studies the institutional conditions that facilitate voluntary member state cooperation in the implementation of regional development policy in Switzerland. Cooperation is crucial for the implementation of regional development policies given that functional perimeters do generally not coincide with institutional borders. Research on the governance of horizontal interorganizational cooperation often focuses on local entities and institutionalized networks, we examine the voluntary cooperation of higher-tier subnational entities. We apply the institutional collective action framework to the implementation of a regional policy in highly federalist Switzerland where subnational entities have considerable discretionary power. The empirical analysis of comprehensive data on implemented development projects and a survey of all responsible subnational actors show that cooperation between higher-tier subnational entities faces strong institutional constraints. We conclude that more top-down guidance is necessary when horizontal cooperation is a condition for policy success.
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Publication status
published
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Book title
Journal / series
Volume
35 (2)
Pages / Article No.
457 - 475
Publisher
Wiley