How Public Officials Gain Policy Influence—Lessons from Local Government in Sweden

Erik Hysing

International Journal of Public Administration, 2014, vol. 37, issue 2, 129-139

Abstract: That public officials influence public policy is generally agreed upon, but the issue of how individual officials gain this influence is less developed in the literature. Here, the stories and experiences of 10 officials, active in local environmental governing in Sweden, are used to identify, describe, and discuss key strategies for gaining policy influence. The result shows the importance of accessing key politicians; avoiding isolation within the administration; developing long-term strategies; and being skilled in communication, networking, and generating external resources. The way these officials act and think challenges some well-established theoretical notions and adds empirical insights to the democratic dilemma of bureaucratic power.

Date: 2014
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DOI: 10.1080/01900692.2013.836662

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