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An approach to the development of comparative cross-national studies of street-level bureaucracy
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 09 March 2020
Abstract
Propositions about street-level bureaucracy run the risk of violating the scientific precept that a theoretical generalisation should be tested by replication in a variety of contexts. Many examples can be found of writings that simply indicate that street-level discretion is pervasive. This prompts the questions, ‘but how’, and under what conditions ‘may’ that happen? Comparison is needed to answer these questions, particularly cross-national ones. It will be argued that good cross-national comparative work must rest upon precise specification of the contexts to be compared and avoiding comparing tasks that seem similar, but in fact serve different functions in different contexts. To explore this one particular task – pre-school child care – is selected. The discussion of this specific example is examined as a model for similar comparative work.
- Type
- Research Article
- Information
- Journal of International and Comparative Social Policy , Volume 35 , Issue 2 , June 2019 , pp. 177 - 193
- Copyright
- Copyright © 2019 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group
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