TY - JOUR
T1 - Studying Incremental Institutional Change
T2 - A Systematic and Critical Meta-Review of the Literature from 2005 to 2015
AU - van der Heijden, Jeroen
AU - Kuhlmann, Johanna
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 Policy Studies Organization
PY - 2017/8
Y1 - 2017/8
N2 - Since the early 2000s, theorizing on incremental institutional change has made inroads in comparative historical analysis. In particular, the ideas, concepts, and theory introduced by Kathleen Thelen and her collaborators have been widely adopted by scholars. These scholars are not, however, univocally positive about the theory. Three main critiques have been plaguing the theory since its early days: the concepts it builds on lack clarity, the model of agency it uses is too static, and the theory lacks analytical power overall. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis method, this article presents a meta-analysis of the peer-reviewed empirical literature from 2005 to 2015 that applies this theory. It seeks to better understand the reach of the critiques expressed, as this may provide a starting point for improvement. It finds considerable quantitative support for the critiques, and uncovers an additional problematic issue: the tendency for concept stretching and concept proliferation by scholars seeking to overcome the shortcomings of the theory. Paradoxically, concept stretching and proliferation only further reduce the analytical power of the theory. The article concludes with suggestions for improvement of the development and application of the theory.
AB - Since the early 2000s, theorizing on incremental institutional change has made inroads in comparative historical analysis. In particular, the ideas, concepts, and theory introduced by Kathleen Thelen and her collaborators have been widely adopted by scholars. These scholars are not, however, univocally positive about the theory. Three main critiques have been plaguing the theory since its early days: the concepts it builds on lack clarity, the model of agency it uses is too static, and the theory lacks analytical power overall. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis method, this article presents a meta-analysis of the peer-reviewed empirical literature from 2005 to 2015 that applies this theory. It seeks to better understand the reach of the critiques expressed, as this may provide a starting point for improvement. It finds considerable quantitative support for the critiques, and uncovers an additional problematic issue: the tendency for concept stretching and concept proliferation by scholars seeking to overcome the shortcomings of the theory. Paradoxically, concept stretching and proliferation only further reduce the analytical power of the theory. The article concludes with suggestions for improvement of the development and application of the theory.
KW - PRISMA
KW - comparative historical analysis
KW - conversion
KW - displacement
KW - drift
KW - exhaustion
KW - gradual institutional change
KW - historical institutionalism
KW - incremental institutional change
KW - layering
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85027833551&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/psj.12191
DO - 10.1111/psj.12191
M3 - Article
SN - 0190-292X
VL - 45
SP - 535
EP - 554
JO - Policy Studies Journal
JF - Policy Studies Journal
IS - 3
ER -