Policy Governance in Multi-level Systems

The past two decades have witnessed dramatic shifts in public policy, with increasing complexity not only in the relationships between the state, society, and the private sector, but also in the interactions among various orders of government in places such as Canada, the United States, and the European Union. In Policy Governance in Multi-level Systems, Charles Conteh examines how these seismic structural changes have impacted the work of public organizations and how these organizations are responding to modifications in their operating environments. With an emphasis on Canada's controversial but resilient regional economic policy, Conteh focuses his study on four agencies - the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Western Economic Diversification Canada, FedNor, and FedDev - and their evolving policy portfolios and modes of operation in New Brunswick, Manitoba, northern Ontario, and southern Ontario. Drawing upon literature in public administration, urban and regional governance, as well as multi-level governance, Conteh offers a cutting-edge analysis of contemporary and emerging understandings of multi-level governance and regional development while acknowledging the historical context of policy and intellectual traditions. Combining a solid theoretical background with empirical depth and practical lessons from the field, Policy Governance in Multi-level Systems is an invaluable resource for policy analysts, policy makers, and practitioners in many tiers of government, business, and community leadership.

Charles Conteh is associate professor of public policy and management in the Department of Political Science at Brock University.