Data Analysis

1 Pages 282 Words

Field Essay: Regulatory -Making in the American States: A Review of Theories and Evidence
Brian Gerber, State University of New York, Stony Brook
Paul Teske, State University of New York, Stony Brook
While most studies of the determinants of regulatory policy-making have concentrated on national-level issues, state-level regulatory politics represent a productive opportunity to examine the efficacy of competing theories of the regulatory process over variable political, economic, and demographic conditions. In this paper we discuss the significance of state-level regulation to broader theoretical understandings of policy-making. We review a broad set of recent empirical work in the context of three models of policy-making: principal-agent theory, Gormley's salience and complexity model, and Lowry's dimensions of federalism model. The relative effectiveness of the three approaches in explaining the dynamics of political controls or influences over state-level regulation is assessed in order to point to future theoretic directions for the field. We conclude by suggesting the need for a greater integration of incentive-based and issues-based explanations of regulatory policy choices in the states.


Research Question: Is regulatory Policy-Making in the American states merely a review of theories and evidence?

Hypothesis: State-Level regulations of policy-making are significant in the broadening of theoretical understandings of general policy making.

Study Design/Method: Political Scientist review a broad set of recent empirical work in the context of three models of policy making: principal agent theory, salience and complexity model and dimensions of federalism model.

Conclusion: The conclusion was to suggest the need for a greater integration of incentive-based and issue based explanations of regulatory policy choices in the states....