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3 Comparative analysis 2

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Case studies (configurative approach: in-deep „thick“ studies)
Event analysis
Statistical data analysis
Interviews
Process analysis
Representative surveys / Public opinion polls
Expert surveys / Focus groups
Comparative analysis (broad, but shallower approach: more descriptive studies)
Case studies can be more culturally specific, can allow for more insight and more in-depth theoretical explanation; comparative analysis enables learning from natural experiments conducted at the expense of others; nevertheless, it is more rigid and selective in terms of data to be processed.
3 Comparative analysis 3

Comparative analysis: principles and approaches
„Without comparisons to make, the mind doesn‘t know how to proceed.“
Alexis de Tocqueville: Democracy in America
„By accessing one situation against another, we gain a better perspective on our current situation as well as the options and constraints we face. We learn through comparing.“
„Comparative public policy is the study of how, why, and what effect different governments pursue particular courses of action or inaction.“
Heidenheimer, Heclo, Adams: Comparative Public Policy
„Only comparative empirical research will adequately disclose the fundamental properties that unite or divide modern welfare states.“
Esping- Andersen: The Three Worlds of Welfare Capitalism
4 3 Comparative analysis

Comparative analysis: principles and approaches
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3 Comparative analysis 5

Reasons for comparing social policies
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To acquire a deeper understanding of how governments and institutions operate as they deal with social problems, what is the role of other actors, and what are the effects of social policies. Do social policies matter?
To look for guidance in designing better social policies.
To have better evidence for harmonization and coordination of national social policies within the
European Union
Comparative analysis thus occupies a middle ground between
the pure science and the applied science, engaged in policy consultancy and advice.
3 Comparative analysis 6

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Macro-level Theories
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Systems theory: elements, relations, borders, external factors, feedback loops,
black boxes with inputs and outputs, open vs. closed systems… (Easton,
Ashby, …cybernetics)
Structural functionalism: states and other institutions have evolved with identifiable structures and functions: regulation, distribution, responsiveness,
interest aggregation etc. (Parsons, Coleman)
Meso-level Theories
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Policy styles: governments differ in their ability to impose their policy goals and
in their willingness to act in preventive pro-active way (Richardson)
Theory of bureaucracy: bureaucracies exist in rather similar formats, executing similar functions, and develop specific relations to political class
(Weber, Blondel, Osborne-Gaebler)
7 3 Comparative analysis

Different theoretical perspectives in comparing social policies
Socioeconomic modernization theories
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Wilensky
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Cutwright
Jackmann
The states respond to general processes of economic growth and societal modernization with basically similar social policies
Cultural values approach
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Rimlinger
King
Caim-Caudle
Almond
Verba
The influence of deeply embedded cultural ideas and patterns of behavior (e.g., civic culture) arising from distinctive histories on Social Welfare
8 3 Comparative analysis

Different theoretical perspectives in comparing social policies
A party government framework
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Castles
Rose
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Peters
Capacities of political institutions
(governments and political parties) to translate the preferences of citizens into social policies
Political class struggle model
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Gough
Offe
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Stephens
The Welfare State is shaped by the contest between the business forces driven by capitalist accumulation and labour and its representation
9 3 Comparative analysis

Different theoretical perspectives in comparing social policies
Neo-corporatism
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Schmitter
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Lehmbruch
Wilensky
The capacity to frame, coordinate and implement social policies depends on strongly organized interest blocks
(labour, professionals, employers) and institutions of interest intermediation
Institutionalism
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Weyr
Heclo
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Skocpol
Olsen
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March
Institutional frameworks (nation states, Welfare States, societal institutions) influence social policy making
3 Comparative analysis 10

Different theoretical perspectives in comparing social policies
Social capital theory

Putnam
The civic engagement of people through civic associations effects the functioning of democratic institutions
Processes of social policy making
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Jones
Peters
Social policy is understood as a sequence of problem identification, social policy formation, implementation, and evaluation
Globalization and
Europeanization
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Wright
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Bouget
Operational space of the
European Welfare States is increasingly defined by external factors of economic globalization and the European Union‘s legal and political framework
3 Comparative analysis 11

Example: model of social policy formation and implementation
Cultural traditions
Political ideologies
SOCIAL POLICY FORMATION AND IMPLEMENTATION
Attitudes and behaviour of the population
Political and economic
Economic resources institutions
3 Comparative analysis 12

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Galton‘s problem: how to sort out diffusion of cultural or institutional patterns from other causes of difference/similarity
How to integrate the behaviour and other qualities of individuals and the characteristics of collective entities
How to select cases:
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Problem of similarity/diversity: as most comparisons prefer selecting most similar cases, Skocpol, Przeworski and Teune are in favour of the selection of most different ones
Problem of „theory fit“
How to „maximize experimental variance, minimize error variance, and control extraneous variance“ (Peters)
How to apply several theories in one research perspective?
13 3 Comparative analysis

Types of studies in Comparative Politics -
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Single country studies: (with some reference to other countries)
Process and institution studies: policy process cycles, tax policies
Typology formation studies: Welfare State typologies
Regional statistical analyses: Welfare states in Western Europe,
Latin America, transition countries…; Eurostat, Laeken indicators
Global statistical studies: United Nations, OECD, World Bank,
World Health Organization, International Labour Organization overviews; Luxembourg Income Study
14 3 Comparative analysis

Comparing Welfare States: different research strategies
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Social expenditure approach (% of GDP)
Wilenski, Mahler, Katz
Data are mostly easily available. Nevertheless, this approach does not cover services in kind; it does not analyze the costefficiency of social schemes and programs and their real impact on clients‘ social situation
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Rights approach (benefits level, criteria of eligibility, the extent of selectivity/universal coverage)
Korpi, Palme, Kangas
Based on social rights theory; it is very demanding in terms of data availability.
15 3 Comparative analysis

Comparing Welfare States: different research strategies
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The concept of decommodification
Esping-Andersen
The analysis of the extent to which benefit eligibility depends on access to the market. The more universal benefits are, the more decommodified is the Welfare State:
„The outstanding criterion for social rights must be the degree to which they permit people to make their living standards independent on pure market forces.“
(The Three Worlds of Welfare Capitalism, 1990:3)
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Case studies over time (e.g. national monographs dealing with social security system)
Deep analysis of the development of particular case (mostly state), based on the mix of quantitative and qualitative methods.
16 3 Comparative analysis

Comparing Welfare States: different research strategies
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The mixed approach
The selection of some key indicators corresponding to research questions, combined with institutional/right approach
Example: set of variables to analyze the similarities and differences between social services delivery in Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands
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Regulatory structure
Financing structure
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Delivery structure
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Consumer power
(Alber)
Do you know what will be your research strategy in preparing your paper?
17 3 Comparative analysis

Methodological considerations
What are the dimensions of a comparison:
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Objects (nations, regions, „natural groups“, sectors of services, coverage, rights, expenditures, programmes, Welfare State regimes…)
Time periods
Combination of objects and time periods
Core questions:

How to find identical entities to be compared in different countries (objects, language)
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How to set up indicators able to represent analyzed social phenomena
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How to cope with rapidly changing conditions
How to deal with the complexity of issues (in other words, how to simplify without unbearable distortions)
18 3 Comparative analysis

Example of comparative analysis:
Conducted by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, Dublin, Ireland as a representative Pan-European empirical survey (random sampling, about 1000 persons aged 18 and over from each country) in summer 2003.
28 European countries involved:
EU15 – 15 EU Member States before May 2004
NMS (AC10) – 10 New Member States since May 2004
CC3 – 3 candidate countries: Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey
Available at http://www.eurofound.ie/publications/files/EF04105EN.
pdf
19 3 Comparative analysis

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Quality of life is a multi-dimensional concept, refers to each individual‘s life situation, and is measured by objective as well as subjective indicators
Six core areas covered:

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Employment
Economic resources
Family and household
Community life and social participation
Health and health care
Knowledge, education and training
20 3 Comparative analysis

(Source: European Commission 2004, Fahey, T. 2004)
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Index EU25=100
3 Comparative analysis 21

50
40
70
60
90
80
30
20
10
0
100
Household poverty (% at risk of poverty) at country level and EU level - below 60% of country medians and EU25 median
Source: EQLS data, Fahey, T. (2004)
% poor re country medians
% poor re EU25 median
3 Comparative analysis 22

MT
DE
EU15
IT
CY
EU25
AC1
PT
HU
EE
SK
CC3
TR
SI
FR
GR
CZ
RO
PL
DK
FI
SE
AT
LU
IE
NL
ES
BE
UK
LV
LT
BG
0,0 1,0 2,0
(Source: Böhnke, 2004)
3,0
4,5
4,0 5,0 life satisfaction, m ean
5,9
5,7
5,9
5,6
5,6
5,5
5,4
6,2
6,2
6,1
6,0
6,5
7,2
7,2
7,2
7,2
7,1
7,0
6,9
6,8
7,8
7,7
8,0
7,7
7,7
7,5
7,5
7,4
7,3
7,3
8,4
6,0 7,0 8,0 9,0
3 Comparative analysis 23

GR
I T
E U 25
SI
FR
C Z
R O
H U
A C 10
P L
P T
E E
C C 3
SK
T R
LT
LV
B G
C Y
B E
N L
D E
E U 15
D K
FI
I E
LU
SE
M T
A T
E S
U K
0, 0 1, 0 2, 0
(Source: Böhnke, 2004)
5, 8
6, 0
6, 6
6, 5
6, 4
6, 4
6, 4
7, 3
7, 2
7, 1
7, 1
6, 9
6, 9
6, 8
6, 8
7, 5
7, 5
7, 4
7, 7
7, 6
7, 6
7, 6
7, 9
7, 8
7, 8
7, 8
7, 7
8, 1
8, 1
8, 0
7, 9
7, 9
8, 3
7, 0 8, 0 9, 0 3, 0 4, 0 5, 0 h a p p i n e s s , m e a n
3 Comparative analysis 24

DK
AT
LU
DE
EU15
FR
UK
EU25
PT
BE
IT
CZ
MT
CY
EE
RO
SI
HU
LV
AC10
FI
IE
NL
ES
SE
PL
GR
CC3
LI
TK
SL
BG
0 0,5
(Source: Böhnke, 2004)
0,83
1,19
1,29
1,32
1,39
1,4
1,45
1,48
1,54
1,56
1,59
1,62
1,66
1,71
1,71
1,78
1,8
1,81
1,94
1,95
1,96
2,02
2,07
2,17
2,22
2,32
2,34
2,43
2,44
2,57
2,75
2,84
3 1 1,5 a l i e n a t i o n i n d e x , m e a n
2 2,5
3 Comparative analysis 25

Subjective well-being in country groups
(Source: Böhnke, 2004)
7,6
7,2
6,9
6,6
6,1
5,6
1,6
2,2
2,4
Life satisfaction Happiness
EU 15 AC 10 CC 3
3 Comparative analysis
Alienation
26

(Source: Böhnke, 2004)
3 Comparative analysis 27

(Source: Böhnke, 2004)
3 Comparative analysis 28

(Source: Böhnke, 2004)
3 Comparative analysis 29

Core literature:
Heidenheimer, A.J. – Heclo, H. – Adams, C.T.: Comparative Public Policy. The Politics of Social Choice in America, Europe, and Japan. New York, St. Martin Press 1990.
Complementary literature:
Alber, J.: A Framework for the Comparative Study of Social Services. In: Journal of European Social
Policy, 1995, Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 131-149.
Böhnke, P.: Patterns of Subjective Quality of Life in the Enlarged Europe, Berlin, Social Science
Center, October 2004. Powerpoint presentation at the seminar.
Castles, F.G.: Comparative Public Policy. Patterns of Post-war Transformation. Cheltenham, Edward
Elgar 1998.
Fahey, T.: Living Standards Graphs, Berlin, Social Science Center, October 2004. Powerpoint presentation at the seminar.
Kenneth, P. (ed.): A Handbook of Comparative Social Policy. Mabbett, D. – Bolderson, H.: Theories and Methods in Comparative Social Policy. In: Clasen, J. (ed.): Comparative Social Policy:
Concepts, Theories and methods. Oxford, Blackwell 1999, pp. 34-56.
Peters, B.G.: Comparative Politics. Theory and Methods. New York, Palgrave 1998.
Quality of Life in Europe. Dublin, European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working
Conditions 2004. Available at http://www.eurofound.ie/publications/files/EF04105EN.pdf.
3 Comparative analysis 30