| Summary: | <p>This dissertation examines bureaucrats’ engagement in social policy processes in low- and middle-income countries. Each paper in the dissertation investigates a different set of factors that affect the scope and nature of bureaucrats’ policy engagement.</p> <p>“The Millennium Effect?: When and Where does Bureaucratic Quality Matter for Human Development” looks at an international factor, the global advocacy for Millennium Development Goals, and examines its effect on the relationship between bureaucratic quality and social policy outcomes across different policy areas and task types. Designed as a cross-country comparative study, it uses country-level quantitative data. </p> <p>“Trusting Relations, Learning Bureaucrats: International Organisations and Early-Stage Policy Diffusion” focusses on another international factor, the World Bank, and examines its role in the adoption of the conditional cash transfer model in Turkey and Indonesia. The study employs within-case process tracing with a comparative lens and uses data from interviews and document reviews.</p> <p>“The Bargaining Bureaucrat: Policy Bargains and Effects of Political Context and Organisational Traits on Bureaucrats’ Policy Influence” investigates the influence of individual bureaucrats in policymaking processes with a focus on the effects of political context and organisational traits. The study uses data from interviews and employs a novel analytical model built on bargaining theory. </p> <p>“After the Dust Settles: Mergers, Policymaking Processes, Mid-Level Bureaucrats” examines the effect of organisational structure on policymaking processes and bureaucrats’ engagement in these processes. It is a case study of the merger of five social policy agencies in Turkey and uses data from interviews and document reviews. </p> <p>By putting a spotlight on the often-invisible bureaucrats, these four papers contribute to our understanding about the factors shaping the scope of bureaucrats’ policy influence in low- and middle-income countries. More generally, this dissertation draws attention to the need for a more systematic incorporation of bureaucracy into our analyses of social policy change. </p>
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