ABSTRACT
This chapter identifies some key themes in governance research. These themes are drawn from a holistic and long-term view of the field. Steeped in years of governance research and practice, it is not possible to reference all the theories, studies or ideas that inform the distillation of these themes. The intent is not to summarize the book or a long history of study. Rather the chapter discusses a select number of studies from the book and exemplar prior work to illustrate five themes, which offer promising insights into governance research and practice.
Decomposing behavior into sub-processes and mundane actions reveals underlying interactions that can inform governance practice and research.
Using “concept-far” behavioral theories provides significant new insights into governance problems.
Identifying and interpreting these behaviors requires an in-depth understanding of the governance context.
Understanding the complexity of governance processes requires a synthesis of different theories and concepts.
Research designs that combine exploratory, qualitative research with quantitative research have the potential to both identify and test relevant concepts and propositions.
