When does policy learning lead to policy change? Exploring the causal chain from learning to change
Policy learning is a crucial mechanism for policy change. Yet, there is still uncertainty about the conditions under which learning actually leads to change. This article clarifies the causal chain from policy learning to policy change in two steps. First, it develops a so-called “Learning Product F...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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OpenEdition
2024-09-01
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| Series: | International Review of Public Policy |
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| Online Access: | https://journals.openedition.org/irpp/4798 |
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| author | Sandra Plümer |
| author_facet | Sandra Plümer |
| author_sort | Sandra Plümer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Policy learning is a crucial mechanism for policy change. Yet, there is still uncertainty about the conditions under which learning actually leads to change. This article clarifies the causal chain from policy learning to policy change in two steps. First, it develops a so-called “Learning Product Framework” which distinguishes three central features of learning products: policy belief change, policy preference change, and policy output change. Second, it presents a “Typology of Causal Pathways between Learning and Change”, leading to four different learning-induced policy changes. In the first pathway, policy beliefs have changed, but preferences and outputs remain unchanged, resulting in policy stability rather than policy change. In the second pathway, policy beliefs and preferences have changed, but the output has not been altered, also leading to policy stability. In the third pathway, beliefs, preferences, and outputs have changed, but they are not aligned, resulting in “Non-Congruent Policy Change”. Only in the fourth pathway are all three features aligned and fulfilled, leading to “Congruent Policy Change”. This conceptual clarification confirms previous findings that policy learning alone is not sufficient for policy change. It demonstrates the combination of cognitive, behavioral, and social mechanisms needed for learning-induced policy change. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b32158fb67cb4daa8538aa7320d7d753 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2679-3873 2706-6274 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-09-01 |
| publisher | OpenEdition |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Review of Public Policy |
| spelling | doaj-art-b32158fb67cb4daa8538aa7320d7d7532025-08-20T02:02:33ZengOpenEditionInternational Review of Public Policy2679-38732706-62742024-09-01610.4000/138rkWhen does policy learning lead to policy change? Exploring the causal chain from learning to changeSandra PlümerPolicy learning is a crucial mechanism for policy change. Yet, there is still uncertainty about the conditions under which learning actually leads to change. This article clarifies the causal chain from policy learning to policy change in two steps. First, it develops a so-called “Learning Product Framework” which distinguishes three central features of learning products: policy belief change, policy preference change, and policy output change. Second, it presents a “Typology of Causal Pathways between Learning and Change”, leading to four different learning-induced policy changes. In the first pathway, policy beliefs have changed, but preferences and outputs remain unchanged, resulting in policy stability rather than policy change. In the second pathway, policy beliefs and preferences have changed, but the output has not been altered, also leading to policy stability. In the third pathway, beliefs, preferences, and outputs have changed, but they are not aligned, resulting in “Non-Congruent Policy Change”. Only in the fourth pathway are all three features aligned and fulfilled, leading to “Congruent Policy Change”. This conceptual clarification confirms previous findings that policy learning alone is not sufficient for policy change. It demonstrates the combination of cognitive, behavioral, and social mechanisms needed for learning-induced policy change.https://journals.openedition.org/irpp/4798implementationpolicy changepolicy learningcausal chainlearning productspolicy beliefs |
| spellingShingle | Sandra Plümer When does policy learning lead to policy change? Exploring the causal chain from learning to change International Review of Public Policy implementation policy change policy learning causal chain learning products policy beliefs |
| title | When does policy learning lead to policy change? Exploring the causal chain from learning to change |
| title_full | When does policy learning lead to policy change? Exploring the causal chain from learning to change |
| title_fullStr | When does policy learning lead to policy change? Exploring the causal chain from learning to change |
| title_full_unstemmed | When does policy learning lead to policy change? Exploring the causal chain from learning to change |
| title_short | When does policy learning lead to policy change? Exploring the causal chain from learning to change |
| title_sort | when does policy learning lead to policy change exploring the causal chain from learning to change |
| topic | implementation policy change policy learning causal chain learning products policy beliefs |
| url | https://journals.openedition.org/irpp/4798 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sandraplumer whendoespolicylearningleadtopolicychangeexploringthecausalchainfromlearningtochange |