A recent study explores how social organizations contribute to policy innovation and diffusion through government-social cooperation. The article, titled “Case Analysis: How NGOs Promote Policy Innovation and Diffusion through the ‘Agenda Trigger-Implementation Participation’ Framework,” presents a framework that analyzes the process of agenda setting and implementation participation.
The authors, Zhu Guangxi, Wang Yiru, and Zhu Yan, examine different modes of social organizations’ involvement in advancing policy innovation and diffusion.
Policy innovation and diffusion are pivotal in enhancing a country’s governance capabilities. While existing research has predominantly focused on government-led initiatives, this study addresses the gap by investigating the role of NGOs in driving policy innovation and diffusion through collaboration with the government.
The authors conduct a case study based on the Longjiang River regulation project, which expanded to Huizhou, Liuzhou, Nanning, and Jinan.
Through an embedded case study design, the researchers analyze how social organizations promote policy innovation and diffusion in these regions. They identify four modes of involvement: proactive engagement, supportive assistance, active response, and opportunistic adaptation. The choice of mode depends on the willingness to initiate discussions and the level of participation in implementation, while contextual factors influence the selection of the diffusion mode.
The study emphasizes the significance of building and expanding social networks during the agenda-setting phase to facilitate policy innovation and diffusion by NGOs.
Additionally, the authors highlight the importance of organizations’ professional capacity in successfully implementing policy innovation and diffusion. The research challenges the notion that government alone drives policy innovation and underscores the vital role of NGOs in fostering policy learning.
To enhance the role of NGOs in promoting policy innovation and diffusion and strengthening governance functions, the study recommends capacity-building among organizations, increased openness in local governance and policy decision-making, and the expansion of government-social interaction channels.
The findings have significant implications for policymakers and practitioners in the governance field. Recognizing NGOs as catalysts for policy innovation and diffusion, policymakers should create an enabling environment that fosters collaboration between government and social organizations. This can be achieved by providing support, facilitating knowledge exchange platforms, and encouraging partnerships among stakeholders.
Moreover, practitioners involved in policy implementation should acknowledge the diverse modes of NGOs’ engagement and adapt their approaches accordingly. By leveraging the expertise and resources of these organizations in different roles, practitioners can effectively drive policy innovation and diffusion.
