Managing the Performance of Regulatory Agencies

Around the world, regulatory institutions have assumed central roles in making and implementing public policy decisions. How well regulatory leaders manage these institutions ultimately shapes the degree to which regulation can succeed in solving social and economic problems. This chapter seeks to guide both practice and research by providing a framework for understanding and improving regulatory management. Although regulatory institutions can vary in their size, structure, and specific missions, they confront a common set of managerial challenges and share a common set of qualities that define their success. This chapter distills lessons from existing research on both regulation and public administration to indicate how regulatory managers can achieve results, offering a framework of key steps in regulatory management: setting priorities; designing rules; engaging the public; enforcing rules; and measuring outcomes and evaluating actions. Rather than suggesting these steps can be pursued in a formulaic and linear fashion, this chapter stresses that achieving regulatory excellence demands flexibility and a commitment to continuous improvement. An eagerness to learn and adapt is essential to managing regulatory institutions well. The chapter concludes by offering directions for future research on regulatory management