Original scientific paper

Policy Learning in Local Government: The Role of Reflexive Leadership

Jostein Askim ; Department of Political Science, University of Oslo, Norway
Harald Baldersheim ; Department of Political Science, University of Oslo, Norway

Abstract

The paper addresses three interrelated issues in policy learning, based on survey data from a representative sample of all Norwegian councillors. The authors ask: What characterizes the policy learning behaviour of local councillors? This issue is addressed through data on what councillors find to be useful information sources in their capacities as decision-makers and agenda-setters. The paper documents three policy-learning profiles: cosmopolitans (who draw largely on external sources of information), locals (who draw on internal sources), and party loyalists (who draw on party sources). The authors also ask if policy learning profiles make a difference to councillors as decision-makers and agenda-setters. The paper documents that cosmopolitans are the most active agenda setters. Do
new patterns of policy learning indicate the emergence of a new type of leadership in local government? It is argued that political interest in publicly available information that contextualizes the municipality’s current performance is part of a larger syndrome that we term ‘reflexive leadership’.

Keywords

policy learning; reflexive leadership; local government – Norway; cosmopolitans; locals; party loyalists

Hrčak ID:

131947

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/131947

Publication date:

1.6.2012.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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