Explaining the Multiple Dimensions of Expert Influence

The question of the influence of expert advice on policy debates and decisions is increasingly at the center of attention of scholars and practitioners. Recent research has shown that the influence of expert policy advice varies along multiple dimensions: influence can be long-lasting or short-lived; influence can stretch across policy areas or be limited to a narrow policy issue; advice can be influential by inspiring influential followers; and advice can have influence by forging new and unique connections between existing policy ideas. However, we know little about the determinants of these different types of influence. For instance, under what conditions can expert advice have a lasting impact on policy debates and decisions? The paper argues that the influence of expert advice along these different dimensions is likely to depend on features of the design and composition of advisory bodies, features of the policy issue and features of sectoral policy advisory systems. The paper examines this relationship based on citation network analysis and regression analysis of a data set of more than 1500 Norwegian expert advisory reports. The findings have implications both for research and practice.