Ongoing Research Projects

Reshaping the Map of Local and Regional Self-Government. A study of the Norwegian Local Government Reform (NLGR) processes 2014-2019

Prime Minister Erna Solberg and Minister of Local Government and Modernisation Jan Tore Sanner presenting one of the white papers defining the reform
Illustration photo: Flickr.com. Copyright Ministry of Local Government and Modernisation
 

The NLGR has sparked much public interest since it was launched in 2014. Practically every government agency is potentially affected by the changes in municipal structure. So are businesses and voluntary organizations. The media attention given to the NLGR is thus unprecedented for an administrative reform in Norway.

In a collaborative effort, we analyze the ongoing processes as both one reform and many. On the one hand it is a state-driven effort. Underpinned by tools of government, it is based on parliamentary resolutions and central government decisions. On the other hand it consists of numerous local and regional processes. Within the municipalities, different actors are discussing and negotiating the basis of amalgamation.

An important methodological feature is the comparative research design. The process dynamics and implementation tools are compared across:

  • Municipalities
  • Regions
  • Countries

The reform is also compared across time periods with earlier cross-cutting multi level reforms in the Norwegian public sector. The project started in February 2016 and will finish in December 2019.

Political Leadership in Local Councils. Comparing Norway and Denmark (POLECO)

The Norwegian and Danish flag superimposed on maps of the two countries.
Illustration: Pixabay.com.

Comparing Norway and Denmark, we investigate local councilors’ exercise of local political leadership. The main research question is to what extent local political leadership is a determining factor in municipal policy capacity:

  • Which types of political leadership styles are found among the local councilors?
  • To what degree are there important differences between the countries?
  • To what degree does the institutional context impact upon local political leadership?

The project ambition is to determine how important local political leadership is for reaching public goals and solving problems.

The project started in May 2016 and will finish in December 2019.

Governance and Learning: Policy Tools and Capabilities for Better Governance Design

View from Ekeberg showing the final stages of the Barcode construction project in Bjorvika
Illustration photo: Wikimedia Commons. Copyright Helge Høifødt

A variety of societal challenges raises the question of public sector organization on the agenda. In this project we focus on government practices within the state administration in the areas:

  • Physical planning
  • Refugee settlement
  • Regional research and development (R&D)

Decision, implementation and learning processes are demanding in these areas. Firstly, the problems are complex, hard to define and not necessarily solvable. Secondly, a sectorized and decentralized system creates challenges. Effective problem solving demands coordinated effort and governance. This has to work across different dimensions:

  • Vertically – between government levels
  • Horizontally – across sectors
  • Diagonally – when the central government provide the regulatory framework for local cooperation

We map the current state of governance and consider the consequences for political control. In addition, we identify possibilities of improvement.

The project started in 2013 and will finish in December 2016