Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

How Bureaucratic Networks Make Intergovernmental Relations Work: A Mechanism Perspective

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Configurations, Dynamics and Mechanisms of Multilevel Governance

Part of the book series: Comparative Territorial Politics ((COMPTPOL))

Abstract

While intergovernmental negotiations in multilevel systems are typically fraught with conflict and potential deadlock due to conflict of interest, this chapter argues that the specific role of bureaucrats in those negotiations is a key to understanding successful decision-making in intergovernmental arenas. Public servants differ from politicians in relevant respects: being not subject to (re-)election, but appointed to office for long periods of time, they develop neutral and expert positions on issues. Also, in repeated rounds of interaction trust and reciprocity evolve, helping them to smoothen negotiations. Based on a network survey and expert interviews among German bureaucrats, this chapter shows that those mechanisms are indeed at work and can be transferred to other multilevel systems, if certain scope conditions are met.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Agranoff, R., & McGuire, M. (2004). Another Look at Bargaining and Negotiating in Intergovernmental Management. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory: J-PART, 14(4), 495–512. https://doi.org/10.1093/jopart/muh033.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Auel, K. (2014). Intergovernmental Relations in German Federalism: Cooperative Federalism, Party Politics and Territorial Conflicts. Comparative European Politics, 12(4–5), 422–443. https://doi.org/10.1057/cep.2014.13.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Axelrod, R. M. (1984). The Evolution of Cooperation. New York, NY: Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bauer, M. W., Knill, C., & Eckhard, S. (2017). International Bureaucracy: Challenges and Lessons for Public Administration Research. London: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Behnke, N. (2014). Organized Consensus: How Prime Ministers’ Conferences and Bundesrat Sessions Make Multilevel Governance Work (Conference Paper). Glasgow, Scotland,

    Google Scholar 

  • Behnke, N., & Mueller, S. (2017). The Purpose of Intergovernmental Councils: A Framework for Analysis and Comparison. Regional & Federal Studies, 27(5), 507–527. https://doi.org/10.1080/13597566.2017.1367668.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Benz, A. (2009). Politik in Mehrebenensystemen. Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Benz, A., & Dose, N. (2010). Governance—Modebegriff oder nützliches sozialwissenschaftliches Konzept? In A. Benz & N. Dose (Eds.), Governance—Regieren in komplexen Regelsystemen (2nd ed., pp. 13–36). Wiesbaden: VS Verlag.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Benz, A., Corcaci, A., & Doser, J. W. (2016). Unravelling Multilevel Administration: Patterns and Dynamics of Administrative Co-ordination in European Governance. Journal of European Public Policy, 23(7), 999–1018. https://doi.org/10.1080/13501763.2016.1162838.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Benz, A., Detemple, J., & Heinz, D. (2013). Varianten und Dynamiken der Politikverflechtung. In Europäisches Zentrum für Föderalismus-Forschung Tübingen (EZFF) (Ed.), Jahrbuch des Föderalismus 2013 (Vol. 14, pp. 155–165). Baden-Baden: Nomos.

    Google Scholar 

  • Benz, A., Scharpf, F. W., & Zintl, R. (1992). Horizontale Politikverflechtung: Zur Theorie von Vernhandlungssystemen. Frankfurt am Main: Campus.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bolleyer, N. (2009). Intergovernmental Cooperation: Rational Choices in Federal Systems and Beyond. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Bolleyer, N., Swenden, W., & McEwen, N. (2014). A Theoretical Perspective on Multi-level Systems in Europe: Constitutional Power and Partisan Conflict. Comparative European Politics, 12(4), 367–383.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bulmer, S. J. (1996). The European Council and the Council of the European Union: Shapers of a European Confederation. Publius: The Journal of Federalism, 26(4), 17–42. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.pubjof.a029879.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burkhart, S., Manow, P., & Ziblatt, D. (2008). A More Efficient and Accountable Federalism? An Analysis of the Consequences of Germany’s 2006 Constitutional Reform. German Politics, 17(4), 522–540.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chattopadhyay, R., & Nerenberg, K. (Eds.). (2010). Intergovernmental Relations in Federal Systems (Vol. 8). A Global Dialogue on Federalism. Booklet Series. Montreal and Kingston: McGill-Queen’s University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coen, D., & Thatcher, M. (2008). Network Governance and Multi-level Delegation: European Networks of Regulatory Agencies. Journal of Public Policy, 28(01), 49–71.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Downs, A. (1957). An Economic Theory of Democracy. New York, NY: Harper & Row.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frederickson, H. G., Smith, K. B., Larimer, C. W., & Licari, M. J. (2016). The Public Administration Theory primer (3rd ed.). Boulder, CO: Westview Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hegele, Y. (2017). Multidimensional Interests in Horizontal Intergovernmental Coordination: The Case of the German Bundesrat. Publius: The Journal of Federalism, 48(2), 244–268.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hegele, Y., & Behnke, N. (2013). Die Landesministerkonferenzen und der Bund – Kooperativer Föderalismus im Schatten der Politikverflechtung. Politische Vierteljahresscharift, 54(1), 21–50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hegele, Y., & Behnke, N. (2017). Horizontal Coordination in Cooperative Federalism: The Purpose of Ministerial Conferences in Germany. Regional & Federal Studies, 27(5), 529–548. https://doi.org/10.1080/13597566.2017.1315716.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Héritier, A. (2002). New Modes of Governance in Europe: Policy-Making Without Legislating? In A. Héritier (Ed.), Common Goods: Reinventing European and International Governance (pp. 185–206). Lanham: Rowman and Littlefield.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, T. (2013). Institutional Design and Bureaucrats’ Impact on Political Control. The Journal of Politics, 75(1), 183–197.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Knill, C., & Bauer, M. W. (2016). Policy-Making by International Public Administrations: Concepts, Causes and Consequences. Journal of European Public Policy, 23(7), 949–959. https://doi.org/10.1080/13501763.2016.1168979.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kropp, S. (2010). Kooperativer Föderalismus und Politikverflechtung. Wiesbaden: VS-Verlag.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Kunze, R. (1968). Kooperativer Föderalismus in der Bundesrepublik: Zur Staatspraxis der Koordinierung von Bund und Ländern. Stuttgart: Gustav Fischer Verlag.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leunig, S. (2010). Der Bundesrat im politischen System der Bundesrepublik Deutschland. In K. Detterbeck, W. Renzsch, & S. Schieren (Eds.), Föderalismus in Deutschland (pp. 87–117). München: Oldenbourg.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Lhotta, R., & Blumenthal, J. V. (2015). Intergovernmental Relations in the Federal Republic of Germany: Complex Co-operation and Party Politics. In J. Poirier, C. Saunders, & J. Kincaid (Eds.), Intergovernmental Relations in Federal Systems (pp. 206–238). Don Mills, ON: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martens, R. (2003). Die Ministerpräsidentenkonferenzen. Würzburg: Ergon-Verlag.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mayntz, R. (2006). Governance Theory als fortentwickelte Steuerungstheorie? In G. F. Schuppert (Ed.), Governance-Foschung: Vergewisserung über Stand und Entwicklungslinien (pp. 11–20). Baden-Baden: Nomos.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mayntz, R., & Derlien, H.-U. (1989). Party Patronage and Politicization of the West German Administrative Elite 1970–1987—Towards Hybridization? Governance, 2, 384–404.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McGuire, M. (2006). Collaborative Public Management: Assessing What We Know and How We Know It. Public Administration Review, 66, 33–43. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6210.2006.00664.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Metcalfe, L. (1996). The European Commission as a Network Organization. Publius: The Journal of Federalism, 26(4), 43–62. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.pubjof.a029883.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nocaj, A., Ortmann, M., & Brandes, U. (2015). Untangling the Hairballs of Multi-Centered, Small-World Online Social Media Networks. Journal of Graph Algorithms and Applications: JGAA, 19(2), 595–618.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Overeem, P. (2012). The Politics-Administration Dichotomy: Toward a Constitutional Perspective (2nd ed.). Boca Raton, FL: CRC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peters, B. G. (2001). Politicians and Bureaucrats in the Politics of Policy Making. In J.-E. Lane (Ed.), Bureaucracy and Public Choice. London: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peters, B. G. (2006). Concepts and Theories of Horizontal Policy Management. In B. G. Peters & J. Pierre (Eds.), Handbook of Public Policy (pp. 116–138). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peters, B. G. (2015). Pursuing Horizontal Management: The Politics of Public Sector Coordination. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peters, B. G., & Pierre, J. (Eds.). (2004a). Politicization of the Civil Service in Comparative Perspective: The Quest for Control. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peters, B. G., & Pierre, J. (2004b). Politicization of the Civil Service: Concepts, Causes, Consequences. In B. G. Peters & J. Pierre (Eds.), Politicization of the Civil Service in Comparative Perspective—The Quest for Control (pp. 1–13). London, UK: Routledge.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Poirier, J., Saunders, C., & Kincaid, J. (Eds.). (2015). Intergovernmental Relations in Federal Systems: Comparative Structures and Dynamics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rhodes, R. A. (1997). Understanding Governance: Policy Networks, Governance, Reflexivity and Accountability. Buckingham and Philadelphia: Open University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rohlfing, I. (2012). Case Studies and Causal Inference: An Integrative Framework. Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schnabel, J. (2017). Committed to Coordination? Intergovernmental Councils as a Federal Safeguard. Swiss Political Science Review, 23(2), 191–206. https://doi.org/10.1111/spsr.12248.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schneider, V. (2010). Policy Networks and the Governance of Complex Societies. In S. Kramer & P. Ludes (Eds.), Networks of Culture (pp. 27–44). Berlin: Lit-Verlag.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwanke, K., & Ebinger, F. (2006). Politisierung und Rollenverständnis der deutschen administrativen Elite 1970–2005 - Wandel trotz Kontinuität. In J. Bogumil, W. Jann, & F. Nullmeier (Eds.), Politik und Verwaltung. PVS-Sonderheft 37 (pp. 228–249). Wiesbaden: VS-Verlag.

    Google Scholar 

  • Simeon, R. (1972). Federal-Provincial Diplomacy: The Making of Recent Policy in Canada. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wagener, F. (1979). Der Öffentliche Dienst im Staat der Gegenwart. Veröffentlichung der Vereinigung der deutschen Staatsrechtslehrer, 37, 215–266.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wright, D. S. (1978). Understanding Intergovernmental Relations. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks and Cole.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zimmer, C. (2010). Politikkoordination im deutschen Bundesstaat: Wandel in den Arbeitsstrukturen. Zeitschrift für Parlamentsfragen, 41(3), 564–579.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Political Science, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany

    Nathalie Behnke

Authors
  1. Nathalie Behnke
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nathalie Behnke .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Political Science, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany

    Nathalie Behnke

  2. Department of Political Science, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON, Canada

    Jörg Broschek

  3. Institute for Political Science, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany

    Jared Sonnicksen

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 The Author(s)

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Behnke, N. (2019). How Bureaucratic Networks Make Intergovernmental Relations Work: A Mechanism Perspective. In: Behnke, N., Broschek, J., Sonnicksen, J. (eds) Configurations, Dynamics and Mechanisms of Multilevel Governance. Comparative Territorial Politics. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-05511-0_3

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation