Coordination Practices in Federal Government: The Case of Integration Policy in Austria

Abstract

Integration policy can be defined as a “wicked problem”. This is particularly true in Austria, where integration policy is a politically cross-sectoral issue that concerns the responsibilities of various actors (e.g. different ministries) on various levels (e.g. federal, provincial, local). Based on a single-case study this paper examines the process that led to the development of the integration governance model in Austria between 2008 and 2013 and the associated implications. The most significant results were that vertical and horizontal coordination have been the main focus from the very beginning; that the creation of two new integration bodies and their interaction with the newly established State Secretariat for Integration has been particularly significant with regard to policy design and implementation; and that this new governance model is unique in the Austrian context.