Defining, Measuring, and Modeling Bureaucratic Autonomy.

In response to the semantic and conceptual ambiguity in the literature on "bureaucratic autonomy," we create a nomological map and a new measurement tool for the concept. In doing so, we draw on the diverse definitions, conceptualizations, and measurement strategies found in the scholarship on state autonomy (eg.., Evans et al 1985), the formal literature on bureaucratic discretion and regulatory independence (e.g., Hammond/Knott 1996; Levy/Spiller 1996), and historical case studies from American and European politics (e.g., Carpenter 2001; Verhoest et al 2004). We elucidate the origins of the idea of bureaucratic autonomy in the notion of "state autonomy versus society," and trace its use and meaning as the concept has evolved over time. We analyze the strengths and weaknesses of each literature's approach to the issues of preference formation and enactment of desired policies, and draw upon common strands to synthesize a unified definition and measurement strategy. The paper also situates bureaucratic autonomy in relation to related concepts like bureaucratic discretion, policy insulation, and political control. The end result is a cumulative measurement index useful for scholars conducting both theoretical and empirical work. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]