LIST OF PANELS

The panel seeks to build on the work initiated at the Guadalajara workshop (IPPW 2024) focused on Implementation Studies. It aims to create a welcoming environment for dialogue on the significant research strands related to state action emerging from Political Science (specifically Policy Implementation Studies) and Public Administration (particularly Public Management Studies).

We view the policy implementation literature as a segment of policy analysis that primarily draws from political science, focusing on what occurs during the realization phase of policies. In contrast, we see public management as the aspect of public administration that emphasizes the design and organizational dimensions of policies as intentional artifacts. While both fields are undoubtedly offspring of 20th-century policy sciences, they have developed in distinct environments shaped by academic research and professional practice. Our goal is to create a platform for both traditions to engage in meaningful exchanges, potentially leading to the convergence of shared knowledge.

Both traditions share a foundational interest in policy sciences, particularly in exploring what occurs during the typical phases of the public policy process: problem identification, design, implementation, and the evaluation of effects. However, for reasons that have yet to be fully documented and understood, they have diverged since the late 20th century and have remained notably separate.

While Policy Analysis models focus on the comparative description, explanation, and prediction of public policies, Public Management has tended to emphasize understanding policies as design artifacts and examining their functional mechanisms.

Both traditions face certain challenges. Policy sciences often oversimplify complex issues, sacrificing uniqueness for the sake of comparability and, either explicitly or implicitly, neglecting the practical needs of professional knowledge. Conversely, professionally oriented disciplines tend to establish superficial research agendas based on standardized concepts, placing excessive emphasis on practice and treating practitioners' insights as privileged source of validation.

We believe that fostering dialogue between these traditions could provide a clearer perspective on key issues and open the door to new knowledge grounded in shared understanding. This could lead to policy analysis models with enhanced explanatory power, as well as professional design and implementation tools informed by scientific evidence.

The panel invites submissions in any of the following formats, or a combination of them:

1. Conceptual Papers and Essays: We welcome discussions on one or more approaches to studying public policy implementation and public management, especially those addressing the limitations and challenges identified earlier. Papers that propose ways to bridge the discussed "gap" are of particular interest.

2. Literature Reviews/State-of-the-Art Analyses: Comparative literature reviews that explore different approaches to public policy implementation and public management are encouraged. We seek analyses of their evolution within the intellectual history of these fields, along with their limitations and possibilities, especially in relation to the identified "gap."

3. Scientific Research Papers: We invite papers presenting findings from single, multiple, or comparative case studies in public policy implementation and public management. We particularly value research that employs hybrid or heterodox methodological approaches.

4. Professional Evaluations: Submissions exploring evaluation methodologies and tools that effectively bridge the gap between impact and process evaluation are welcome. Papers aligned with the tradition of realistic evaluation will be especially appreciated.

5. Methodological Papers: We encourage analyses of the pros and cons of various approaches to public policy research. Papers that cross methodologies and discuss innovations arising from new information technologies are particularly welcome.

6. Draft Papers and Postgraduate Theses: We invite draft papers and postgraduate theses seeking the panel's space to revise or refine their conceptual and methodological approaches.

Format of the panel: On-site (online presentations also accepted)