A typology of consultation networks – differences and similarities of German ministerial consultations over time

Public administrations as well as political actors are accompanied by several societal actors all trying to get a piece of the cake – the power over outcome. For both addressees of interest mediation and lobbying efforts, institutions such as consultations shape the form of exchange between these actors. Using consultations, ministries and parliamentary actors alike grow a consultation network, referred to as a specific set of actors consulted in a reiterating manner, which help to secure important information and improve policymaking (Rasmussen 2015; Rasch et al. 2020). In comparison to parliamentary actors however, administrative ones have different secondary departments, agencies and offices exist which also deliver important information. The competition inside the ministerial networks therefore strikes as much higher during the stage of policy formulation done in the ministries as during formulation in the parliament. A question that therefore rises is if consultation networks differ across the ministries and their respective competences in certain policy fields, and if so, how. This paper compares German ministries and their consultation networks over time, creating a typology of consultation networks. Based on the differences and similarities of these networks, identified by existing network theory (van Waarden 1922) and a unique new data set, I find interesting patterns between the ministries, however, not completely dependent from the policy field. The consultation networks of the different ministries vary along seven indicators, which are (1) number and type of actors, (2) function of networks, (3) structure, (4) institutionalization, (5) rules of conduct, (6) power relations, and (7) actor strategies.