How Does Cooperation Among Bureaucrats Affects Policy Performance?

• In Event: Cooperation, Collaboration and Co-production

Abstract

The existence of fiscal and administrative capacities has been shown to have a positive effect on public policy performance. There is some evidence which suggests that individual abilities of bureaucrats might be linked to better policy performance. Critically, the literature has not fully determined whether cooperation among bureaucrats improves policy performance (by which I mean the extent to which policy’s standards and objectives are realized) at the local level.

Bureaucrats are constantly interacting with citizens and most seek to deliver quality goods and services. Therefore, it is essential governments consider bureaucrats’ behavior when discussing how to achieve democratic goals. Understanding the implications of bureaucrats’ cooperation for the implementation and performance of public policies necessitate careful research.

This paper builds on the literature on networking, cooperation and collaborative public management to ask the following question: How does cooperation among bureaucrats affects policy performance?

I expect that the existence of cooperation, in terms of networking capacities at local and national level, produces better performance. I will test this hypothesis through a quantitative examination of pre-existing survey data from over 6,500 Colombian bureaucrats in 2017. I will test the hypothesis by analyzing the aggregate conditions under which cooperation affects performance.

This research contributes to strengthening public administration and public policy by investigating the conditions under which cooperation affects the implementation of public policies. Moreover, the project emphasizes the important role of bureaucrats in improving the well-being of citizens. An implication of this research is that cooperation among bureaucrats can improve policy performance.

Author

• Nathalie Mendez, Universidad de los Andes