IMPLEMENTATION RESEARCH AS EMPIRICAL CONSTITUTIONALISM

In: European journal of political research: official journal of the European Consortium for Political Research, Band 10, Heft 2, S. 105-115

Abstract

IT IS BY NOW A TRUISM OF THE IMPLEMENTATION LITERATURE THAT THE OBJECTIVES OF PUBLIC POLICY ARE OFTEN VAGUE AND EVEN ABSENT; MORE THAN THAT, EVEN WHEN INTITIALLY SPECIFIED THEY ARE FREQUENTLY REDEFINED DURING THE COURSE OF IMPLEMENTATION. HENCE THE OBJECTION OF HOW CAN ONE SPEAK MEANINGFULLY OF IMPLEMENTATION IF THE VERY THING TO BE IMPLEMENTED IS INDETERMINATE IN THE FIRST PLACE.