Knill: Introduction: Cross-National Policy Convergence

Knill, C. 2005. Introduction: Cross-national policy convergence: concepts, approaches and explanatory factors. Journal of European Public Policy 12, no. 5: 764-774.

"While there is a broad consensus on the definition of convergence as 'the tendency of societies to grow more alike, to develop similarities in structures, processes, and performance' (Kerr 1983: 3), the empirical and theoretical assessment of policy convergence is generally hampered by the use of different, partially overlapping concepts (Tews 2002). Policy convergence is equated with related notions, such as isomorphism, policy transfer or policy diffusion. This terminological variety often coincides with analytical confusion" (3).

The author highlights two concepts, those of policy transfer and policy diffusion. Both of these focus on process and are less concerned with outcome, thus making analysis and conclusion partially complex. On page 5 there is an overview of different kinds of policy convergence.