A New Way to Compare Horizontal Connections of Policy Sectors: “Coupling” of Actors, Institutions and Policies

Abstract

This paper proposes an innovative framework to compare the coordination of policy sectors in an encompassing way. Building on recent contributions to the literature, this paper proposes a typology to analyze the coordination of policy sectors from a comparative perspective. To this end, the paper adapts Karl Weick’s concept of coupling to the comparative analysis of public policies, particularly to horizontal relations of policy sectors. The paper argues that it is possible to distinguish four forms of sectoral coupling: tight coupling, loose coupling, de-coupling and non-coupling. In order to demonstrate the usefulness of this typology for empirical research, the paper applies coupling to analyze the relations of the healthcare and public health sectors. To conclude, the paper discusses the possibilities and limits of the typology, and suggests other examples the approach could be transferred to.

Keywords:

• comparative policy analysis
• coupling
• policy sectors
• healthcare
• public health
• comparative case studies

Notes

1. For an extensive review of the conceptual literature on comparative integration of policy sectors see 6 (2004, 2005); and Tosun and Lang (2013).

2. Although there had been a national agency for health prevention, the Federal Agency for Health Education (BZfGA) since 1967 (http://www.bzga.de/home/bzga/, last accessed 1 February 2016).

3. This information can be found on the following homepage: http://www.bmfsfj.de/BMFSFJ/Ministerium/geschichte.html (last accessed 9 June 2015).

4. Two experts confirmed this information in interviews: one with former head of the Federal Department of Domestic Affairs, Martigny, Switzerland, 19 March 2012. The second interview was held with a policy advisor in the Federal Office of Public Health, Bern, 3 February 2012.

5. This information is based on two interviews: one with a professor of Health Policy, at the University of Braunschweig, Germany, which was conducted via Skype on 9 October 2012. A second interview was held with the head of the Federal Association for Prevention and Health Promotion (Bundesvereinigung Prävention und Gesundheitsförderung e.V.) via Skype on 10 October 2012.

6. Interview with the former head of public health office of the canton of St. Gallen, 8 March 2012, Zurich (Switzerland is a federation with 26 member states, which are called cantons).

7. Skype interview with a former Commonwealth minister (Defense/Education, Science and Training) and former president of the AMA, 28 October 2011; Skype interview with the CEO of the Cancer Council Australia, 12 September 2011.

8. Interview with a professor of Health Prevention, Cancer-Council Victoria and University of Melbourne, Melbourne, 13 October 2011.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the swiss national science foundation grant: [Grant Number xxxx, xxx].

Notes on contributors

Philipp Trein

Philipp Trein is a postdoctoral researcher in political science at the IEPHI of the University of Lausanne, Switzerland. His research deals with the coordination of policy sectors, federalism, health and social policy, as well as economic voting. His research has been published or is forthcoming in the European Journal of Political Research, the Journal of Public Policy, Publius: The Journal of Federalism, and Regional and Federal Studies.