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PUBLIC CHOICE THEORY OFFERS A CHALLENGE FROM WITHIN STANDARD NEO-CLASSICAL THEORY TO BOTH SIDES OF RECENT DEBATES ON THE USE OF COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS IN ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY-MAKING. BOTH DEFENDERS AND CRITICS OF COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS ASSUME THAT POLTIICLA ACTORS ARE BENIGN CHANNELS FOR THE FORMULATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY. THE PUBLIC CHOICE THEORIST MAINTAINS THAT THE CONSISTENT APPLICATION OF STANDARD ECONOMIC THEORY TO NON-MARKET SPHERES SHOWS THAT THIS ASSUMPTION IS FALSE. ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS THAT ARISE FROM 'MARKET FAILURE' CAN AND SHOULD BE SOLVED, IT IS CLAIMED, BY INSTITUTIONAL CHANGE WITHIN THE MARKET SPHERE ITSEL THROUGH A REDEFINITION OF PROPERTY RIGHTS. THIS ARTICLE CRITICIZES THIS PUBLIC CHOICE PERSPECTIVE ON THE ENVIRONMENT. WHILE THE PUBLIC CHOICE CRITICISM OF THE BENIGN VIEW OF STATE ACTORS HAS SOME POWER, THE GENERAL PROJECT OF EXTENDING STANDARD ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT THE ECONOMIC AGENT TO NON-MARKET DOMAINS IS FLAWED. THE EXPLANATORY AND NORMATIVE ASSUMPTIONS OF THE 'OLD' INSTITUTIONALISM OF CLASSICAL ECONOMICS OFFER A MORE PROMISING STARTING POINT TO AN INSTITUTIONAL UNDERSTANDING OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS THAN DOES THE NEW' NEO-CLASSICAL INSTITUTIONALISM OFFERED BY PUBLIC CHOICE THEORY.

This article discusses whether institutional rational choice theory provides a useful framework for political scientists who seek to understand the dynamics of biomedical policy. The important elements of this theory are outlined, & those features of biomedical policy that present a challenge to this approach are evaluated. The basic tenets of rational choice are that each actor has preferences over possible outcomes, & each will seek to achieve the preferred outcomes. Biomedical policy presents four main challenges: (1) its complexity of institutional landscape; (2) the influence of international processes of medical innovation & scientific discovery on these institutions; (3) the technical content of policy issues & thus the dependence on experts; & (4) the impact of strong values in contrast to strong interests. However, the integrative potential of institutional rational choice provides an opportunity for broader understanding of policy content & processes in general, & should not be abandoned in spite of difficulties of its application in the field of biomedical policy, but should rather be the starting point in the study of biopolitics. 11 References. L. Kehl

When Paul Sabatier asked me to do an assessment of institutional rational choice, I responded that the field was too big for one person to do an assessment of all the work that might be covered by the term. Instead of trying an assessment of such a broad array of literature, I focus more specifically on the institutional analysis and development (IAD) framework that has evolved out of the work of many colleagues at the Workshop in Political Theory and Policy Analysis at Indiana University. Undertaking an overview and assessment of the IAD framework proves to be quite a challenge in 2006 given all of the attention paid to it in recent years.

This dissertation analyzes the over-arching question of how the institutional and social context of public bureaucracy impact the choices of bureaucrats. These choices are introduced in the form of inertial-preferences and identity-driven preferences in the decision-making of bureaucrats. The study proposes theoretical frameworks to explain policy drift. These frameworks determine how "context-oriented preferences" moderate the trade-off between budget maximizing motivations and the policy choice of bureaucrats. In order to understand the context of bureaucratic choices directly stemming from organizational, institutional and social factors, the study encompasses two generic research routes that are covered in the three content chapters. In the first research route, the impact of history on present organizational structures is investigated with the theory of organizational imprinting. This refers to the process through which economic, social and institutional factors that prevailed at the time of founding shape present organizational forms and attributes. The second research route builds on the notion that a bureaucratic organization is a formalized social system. The bureaucrats consider it as essential to comply with organizational goals in order to be considered as a member of the organization. In order to analytically seize the social context of the bureaucratic organization, the notion of identity is conceptually integrated into the decision calculus of the bureaucrat.The analyses of the inertial and identity-driven choices point out that many well-known anomalies in the behaviour of bureaucrats are best explained with reference to contextual factors. These factors can either help to produce socially optimal choices or force policy choices that are non-optimal from a welfare point of view. Consequently, policy interventions might be necessary to enable bureaucrats to change choices, especially when these factors hinder optimal choices.

This dissertation analyzes the over-arching question of how the institutional and social context of public bureaucracy impact the choices of bureaucrats. These choices are introduced in the form of inertial-preferences and identity-driven preferences in the decision-making of bureaucrats. The study proposes theoretical frameworks to explain policy drift. These frameworks determine how "context-oriented preferences" moderate the trade-off between budget maximizing motivations and the policy choice of bureaucrats. In order to understand the context of bureaucratic choices directly stemming from organizational, institutional and social factors, the study encompasses two generic research routes that are covered in the three content chapters. In the first research route, the impact of history on present organizational structures is investigated with the theory of organizational imprinting. This refers to the process through which economic, social and institutional factors that prevailed at the time of founding shape present organizational forms and attributes. The second research route builds on the notion that a bureaucratic organization is a formalized social system. The bureaucrats consider it as essential to comply with organizational goals in order to be considered as a member of the organization. In order to analytically seize the social context of the bureaucratic organization, the notion of identity is conceptually integrated into the decision calculus of the bureaucrat. Apart from the introductory chapter, which sets the stage for the dissertation, there are three content chapters and a concluding chapter. Chapter 2 provides a long-term temporal perspective on the persistence of organizational design. The long-term view on the matter allows us to better explore and explain why corruption and rent-seeking remain entrenched in many bureaucracies, although history has provided ample chances for an organization to change its path. The chapter identifies the triggers of bureaucratic rigidity with the help of the bureaucracy in Pakistan, which has not essentially changed over the last 150 years.

This dissertation analyzes the over-arching question of how the institutional and social context of public bureaucracy impact the choices of bureaucrats. These choices are introduced in the form of inertial-preferences and identity-driven preferences in the decision-making of bureaucrats. The study proposes theoretical frameworks to explain policy drift. These frameworks determine how "context-oriented preferences" moderate the trade-off between budget maximizing motivations and the policy choice of bureaucrats. In order to understand the context of bureaucratic choices directly stemming from organizational, institutional and social factors, the study encompasses two generic research routes that are covered in the three content chapters. In the first research route, the impact of history on present organizational structures is investigated with the theory of organizational imprinting. This refers to the process through which economic, social and institutional factors that prevailed at the time of founding shape present organizational forms and attributes. The second research route builds on the notion that a bureaucratic organization is a formalized social system. The bureaucrats consider it as essential to comply with organizational goals in order to be considered as a member of the organization. In order to analytically seize the social context of the bureaucratic organization, the notion of identity is conceptually integrated into the decision calculus of the bureaucrat. Apart from the introductory chapter, which sets the stage for the dissertation, there are three content chapters and a concluding chapter.

International audience ; Drawing on a survey of 800 business associations, the article seeks to explain why interest groups lobby the EU institutions and what groups maintain contacts with them. Rooted in organizational theory, it argues that four main dimensions influence access patterns — institutional context, resource dependencies, interest group organization, and strategic choices. The empirical analysis demonstrates that all dimensions are relevant. Nonetheless, contacts between EU policy-makers and interest groups display only a few general traits: they are shaped by the political mobilization of groups in response to EU regulation, the division of labour among EU and national associations and the importance of organizational resources. Beyond these general influences, the interactions vary profoundly in the segmented institutional context.

Drawing on a survey of 800 business associations, the article seeks to explain why interest groups lobby the EU institutions and what groups maintain contacts with them. Rooted in organizational theory, it argues that four main dimensions influence access patterns — institutional context, resource dependencies, interest group organization, and strategic choices. The empirical analysis demonstrates that all dimensions are relevant. Nonetheless, contacts between EU policy-makers and interest groups display only a few general traits: they are shaped by the political mobilization of groups in response to EU regulation, the division of labour among EU and national associations and the importance of organizational resources. Beyond these general influences, the interactions vary profoundly in the segmented institutional context.