Policy Innovation in Social Science Development: A Conceptual Analysis

Abstract

This paper aims to discuss the existing literature on the development of policy innovation research studies in the development of social science. In line with this, this study was conducted to answer the research question, "What is the theoretical concept of policy innovation in the development of social science between 2010 and 2024?". The method used was bibliometric analysis and a literature review of publications published between 2010 and 2024, sourced from the Scopus database. Three hundred and forty-two articles from Scopus-based journals with the most relevant title, abstract, and keywords were selected for analysis. The results indicate that policy innovation is grouped into three categories: government approaches represented by experts, such as (Walker 1969; Gray 1973), (Link and Scott 2010), (Borins 2014). Policy design with experts including (Edler and Fagerberg 2017), (Howlett and Mukherjee 2018), (Trondal 2022) and (Howlett and Mukherjee 2018).  Change processes with experts, including (Jordan and Huitema 2014), (Moore, Sparrow, and Spelman 1997; Howlett 2014) and (do Vale 2021). This study concludes that policy innovation is a government approach implemented in a policy design and has implications for the change process.