Embracing Complexity in Policy Implementation Research: A Comparative Analysis of Water Policy Implementation in the Great Lakes and Rio-Grande/Bravo Regions

Abstract Scholars and practitioners must increasingly embrace complexity in policy implementation research and practice. This article presents findings from in-depth comparative qualitative analysis of two complex transboundary water policy cases, the North American Great Lakes and Rio Grande/Bravo Basin, to highlight the value of focusing on four sets of factors (contextual, institutional, engagement, and knowledge factors) to understand why complex policy regimes continue to face limited policy implementation success in achieving policy goals decades after initiating implementation efforts. The findings outline the value of focusing on critical sets of factors in comparative policy implementation research that embraces complexity.