Combinatorial perspective on ideas, concepts, and policy change

Abstract

The evolution of environmental policy is increasingly driven by the emergence <br/>and interaction of policy concepts and the frameworks, knowledge, and ideas <br/>they employ. We argue that policy actors’ creative use of policy concepts often <br/>leads to their combinatorial development. In this policy process, the concepts <br/>interact and shape each other’s policy relevance and future development under <br/>the influence of ideas, knowledge, and political factors. We formulate this new <br/>research approach using ideational and policy process theories. In particular, we <br/>explicate internal and contextual combinatory elements that enable policy <br/>change resulting from mutual development of policy concepts. For an empirical <br/>demonstration, we analyze the conceptual innovation, rise, and ramifications of <br/>nutrient recycling as a new segment of Finnish environmental policy.