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Published comparative governance analysis on Scotland’s missing delivery layer

Arne Lindahl

Structural Issue Identified

Policy implementation can become fragmented where responsibilities are distributed across national and local institutions without an intermediate layer providing sustained coordination, analytical capacity and delivery oversight.

What problem this work relates to

This work relates to the institutional conditions that shape how national policy moves into local delivery, particularly across infrastructure, transport, housing and climate transition.

Structural Adjustment & Implementation

Published a comparative process note examining Scotland’s implementation landscape alongside Sweden’s regional governance model.

The analysis considers differences in coordination, analytical capacity, cross-sector planning and institutional learning, while avoiding a direct claim that one model can be transferred wholesale.

It uses the comparison to identify questions about whether Scotland lacks a sufficiently defined intermediate delivery layer between national strategy and local implementation.

Observable Effect

Established a comparative governance case within the site’s implementation record and connected sector-specific observations to the wider institutional architecture through which policy is coordinated and delivered.

The work also provides a basis for further applied research into regional implementation capacity, accountability and institutional learning.

Related Work:

Relevant Institutions and Policy Frameworks

  • Scottish Government and Scottish local authorities

  • Swedish regions and municipalities

  • Regional development and transport bodies

  • OECD multi-level governance frameworks

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