Conditions of Influence : policy effects of IPA autonomy in comparative perspective

Abstract

Besides the administrative capacity requirements of a policy and the contestation of the issue, there are also characteristics of the administration itself that may explain when an IPA is able to exert influence. The secretariat’s autonomy from member states, especially, constitutes an important resource that, under specific conditions, can be used to influence policy. In sum, scholars have collected evidence for the claim that international bureaucracies can be powerful actors who are able to use their central position within the organization, their informational advantage, and their authority vis-à-vis member states to influence IO actions and decisions. The need for a particular kind of knowledge that results from such a programmatically complex policy problem creates opportunities structures that the IPA may use to eventually influence the underlying decision. In contrast, autonomy of action is related to both administrative powers and resources and should thus be more important to explain IPA influence during policy application.