Policy Networks: More Than a Metaphor?

Policy networks are often used as a metaphor to describe new forms of governance beyond state control involving both public and private actors. This paper argues that the delineation of policy networks is a common task of all network approaches. The authors proceed, first by selecting specific types of relations between actors to identify patterns of interest mediation, and second by introducing network characteristics to predict policy outcomes. A model of collective decision-making is discussed which postulates an exchange process between actors on a market for control and influence resources. Deviations from perfect market conditions are interpreted as transaction costs. A specific application is described. An outline of the full model including the mean-voter theorem as the rationale to reach a final collective decision is presented in the Appendix.