A Comparative Analysis of Drivers of Collaborative Governance in Front-of-Pack Food Labelling Policy Processes

Abstract

Collaborative governance is one tool for steering decision-making in issues with competing coalitions of actors. Where collaborative governance arrangements are emergent, there is potential for policy actors to develop a bespoke design. To understand what drives effective collaborative governance in these situations, this research applies a comparative framework drawing on the Advocacy Coalition Framework and Multi-Level Governance framework to analyse three collaborative policy development processes for front-of-pack food labelling in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Policy actors can use insights from this comparison to inform the development of similar collaborative processes with scope for a bespoke design.

Keywords:

• Australia
• New Zealand
• United Kingdom
• front-of-pack food labelling
• Advocacy Coalition Framework
• Multi-Level Governance
• comparative policy analysis

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by a University of Auckland Doctoral Scholarship, and travel expenses related to the site research were covered in part by the PANAMA Travel Grant [FP7-PEOPLE-2011-IRSES] and Sir John Logan Campbell Medical Trust Award for travel.

Notes on contributors

Amanda Wood

Amanda Wood completed her PhD in the School of Population Health at the University of Auckland New Zealand, focusing on food policy and underlying drivers of collaborative decision-making.

Tim Tenbensel

Tim Tenbensel is an Associate Professor of Health Policy at the School of Population Health, University of Auckland New Zealand. His core research interests are in health policy and health systems, comparative health policy, and public policy and management theory.