Comparative analysis:

principles and approaches

Course European Social Policy

Comparative analysis in public and
social policy:
theories, methods, examples
Overview of methods frequently used
to study social policy
Comparative analysis: principles,
theories, approaches
Example of comparative analysis:
Representative survey of the 25 EU
Member States plus Bulgaria, Rumania
and Turkey: Quality of life in Europe

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Overview of methods frequently used
to study social policy
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.

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Comparative analysis: principles
and approaches
Without comparisons to make, the mind doesnt 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

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Comparative analysis: principles
and approaches
Reasons for comparing social policies
Different theoretical perspectives in
comparing social policies
Core problems of comparative analysis
Types of studies in Comparative Politics
Analyzing Welfare States: different
research strategies
Methodological considerations

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Reasons for comparing social
policies
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.

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Levels of comparison
Macro-level Theories
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
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)

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Different theoretical
perspectives in comparing
social policies
Socioeconomic Cultural values approach
modernization theories Rimlinger
Wilensky King

Cutwright Caim-Caudle

Jackmann Almond

Verba
The states respond to
general processes of The influence of deeply
economic growth and embedded cultural ideas
societal modernization and patterns of behavior
with basically similar (e.g., civic culture) arising
social policies from distinctive histories
on Social Welfare

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Different theoretical
perspectives in comparing
social
A policies
party government Political class struggle
framework model
Castles Gough

Rose Offe

Peters Stephens

Capacities of political The Welfare State is

institutions
(governments and
political parties) to
translate the
preferences of citizens
into social policies
shaped by the contest
between the business
forces driven by
capitalist accumulation
and labour and its
representation

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

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

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How to mix theories up?
Example: model of social policy formation and
implementation
Cultural traditions

Political ideologies

SOCIAL POLICY FORMATION AND IMPLEMENTATION

Attitudes and behaviour Political and economic

of the population institutions

Economic resources

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 Core problems of
comparative analysis
Galtons 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:
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?

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Types of studies in Comparative
Politics - according to Peters (1998)
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

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Comparing Welfare States:
different research strategies
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 cost-efficiency of social
schemes and programs and their real impact on
clients social situation
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.

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Comparing Welfare States:
different research strategies
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)
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.

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 Comparing Welfare States:
different research strategies
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
Regulatory structure
Financing structure

Delivery structure

Consumer power

(Alber)

Do you know what will be your research strategy in preparing your

paper?

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Methodological considerations
What are the dimensions of a comparison:
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)
How to set up indicators able to represent analyzed
social phenomena
How to cope with rapidly changing conditions
How to deal with the complexity of issues (in other
words, how to simplify without unbearable
distortions)

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Example of comparative analysis:

Representative survey Quality

Conducted by the European Foundation for the
Improvement of Living and Working Conditions,
of Life in Europe
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/EF0410
5EN.pdf
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Quality of Life in Europe
Quality of life is a multi-dimensional concept,
refers to each individuals life situation, and is
measured by objective as well as subjective
indicators
Six core areas covered:
Employment
Economic resources
Family and household
Community life and social participation
Health and health care
Knowledge, education and training

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GDP per capita (PPS) at country level
(Source: European Commission 2004, Fahey, T. 2004)

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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)

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Life satisfaction
(Source: Bhnke, 2004)

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 Happiness
(Source: Bhnke, 2004)

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 Alienation
(Source: Bhnke, 2004)

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Subjective well-being in country
groups (Source: Bhnke, 2004)

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Life satisfaction and GDP per
capita (Source: Bhnke, 2004)

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Happiness and GDP per
capita
(Source: Bhnke, 2004)

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Alienation and GDP per
capita
(Source: Bhnke, 2004)

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Comparative analysis in public and
social policy: theories, methods,
examples
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.
Bhnke, 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.

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