Contexts of enterprise policy-making – an institutional perspective

Abstract

This paper advances our understanding of policy formulation, exploring how the particular institutional dynamics between the transnational and national levels of enterprise policy-making affect policy choices made by governments and consequently their outcomes. The paper argues that policy development occurs within a framework of dominating assumptions on enterprise, influential academic/policy communities and lesson-drawing from other countries’ experiences, which have led to a privileging of the transnational when making policy choices. Empirically, the paper draws on a post-socialist country case – Albania, and uses interviews with policy actors and documentary data from national governments and international organizations. The paper explores the dynamics involved, and the actors that shape, policy formulation and makes two contributions to the literature. First, it provides a conceptual framework on how to analyse policy formulation, extending recent work on the link between policy formulation and the intended outcomes of policies. Second, it offers a more nuanced conceptualization of enterprise policy formulation, arguing that policy formulation reflects the changing configurations of ideas, policy tools and resources, and actors involved in the process.

Keywords:

• Enterprise policy
• policy formulation
• context
• institutions
• international organizations

Notes

1. Convergence is evaluated on: (i) policy goals – expressed intentions; (ii) policy contents – statutes, administrative rules, regulations, court decisions; (iii) policy instruments – institutional tools available to administer policy; (iv) policy outcomes – impacts, consequences, or results; and (v) policy styles – the process by which policy responses are formulated (Bennett 1991, 219).

2. ALBINVEST has now been restructured and called AEDA. Despite a wider set of responsibilities those in relation to enterprise remain unchanged.