This dissertation studies how domestic regulatory agencies and the officials representing them are influenced by and deal with the increasingly complex transnational environments in which they have... Show moreThis dissertation studies how domestic regulatory agencies and the officials representing them are influenced by and deal with the increasingly complex transnational environments in which they have come to operate. Based on (social) network analysis it demonstrates how decisions of domestic agencies regarding standard adoption are strongly guided by decisions of regulators in other countries, particularly those to whom they are directly related through network relationships. In understanding the way in which transnational networks affect domestic agencies, we should explicitly measure the structure of relationships that constitute such networks. However, based on qualitative analysis, this thesis also demonstrates that agencies have different capacities and resources for (transnational) networking and they are likely susceptible to transnational network influences in varying degrees. The effects of transnational networks on domestic agencies are thus moderated by the way in which transnational network activities are structured and coordinated inside these agencies. Overall, given the increasing prevalence of transnational networks in various regulatory and policy sectors, this dissertation provides a basis for further theorizing about ongoing and future developments in the fields of regulatory governance and public administration. Show less
