Understanding bureaucratic support for coerced institutional change

Bibliographic Data

ID6264064
AuthorsThomas Myksvoll (0000-0002-7885-4132, NORCE Norwegian Research Centre and Department of Comparative Politics University of Bergen Bergen Norway), Michaël Tatham (0000-0002-8388-8193, Department of Comparative Politics University of Bergen Bergen Norway, corresponding author), Anne Lise Fimreite (0000-0003-0936-2377, Department of Comparative Politics University of Bergen Bergen Norway)
Year2022
Volume35
Issue4
Pages1119-1138
Publication date2022-10-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueGovernance (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0952-1895 • E-ISSN: 1468-0491
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/gove.12647
OpenAlexW3214330865
LanguageEN
Citations received9
References cited42

Institutional reform processes can be contested. The more so by those working in the affected institutions. Bureaucracies, in particular, can be resistant to change. To better understand such processes, we study the regional reform in Norway. This reform is interesting as it mixes “voluntary” and “forced” dynamics. Indeed, Norwegian regions (fylkeskommuner) can remain unchanged, merge voluntarily, or be forced to merge by central government. This provides an opportunity to better understand support for coerced change. Through a survey of regional bureaucrats, we test different explanations of support for forced mergers. We find that two logics are at play. A “logic of discipline” which appeals to right‐wing bureaucrats, advocates larger units, and streamlined bureaucracies, even if this is against the wishes of the main actors involved. And an “identity logic” which recognizes that feelings of attachment are powerful shapers of preferences beyond what efficiency and functionality dictate

Bureaucracy · Feeling · Institutional change · Institutional logic · Merge (version control · Norwegian · Political science · Politics · Public relations · Rationalization (economics · Social science · Sociology · Law · Political Systems and Governance · Psychology · Public Administration · Public Policy and Administration Research · Social Policy and Reform Studies · Social Psychology

Tools

Open DOIOpen Access