Hardback
From Chasing Violations to Managing Risks
Origins, Challenges and Evolutions in Regulatory Inspections
9781788112482 Edward Elgar Publishing
Florentin Blanc focuses specifically on regulatory inspections and enforcement, their historical development, contrasted approaches and methods, and their relative effectiveness in achieving regulatory objectives. Inspections aimed at verifying compliance with regulations are one of the most significant activities of modern states in terms of the number of staff employed or of people affected, and one of the most visible ones – but have long remained relatively under-researched, or at least not considered "as such".
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Critical Acclaim
Contents
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Government rules and inspectors can be an important tool to ensure trust in markets, and to protect citizens against hazards. There is, however, a perception that businesses and individuals only comply with rules because of the threat of punishment. From Chasing Violations to Managing Risks examines what actually makes people change their behaviour and how to effectively achieve the objectives of regulations.
Building on decades of research, Florentin Blanc examines the development of inspection institutions and their practices, and assesses their varying effectiveness, and the reasons behind this. Bringing together historical, theoretical, and practical perspectives, Blanc provides ‘large scale’ testing of models through comparative case studies considering practices and their outcomes. By examining case studies, Blanc also assesses how inspection institutions might accomplish better results with less bureaucracy, comparing in particular occupational safety across France, Germany and Great Britain, identifying the key differences between the three, and asking how Britain has achieved a better safety record with fewer inspections (but more efforts to manage risks through other instruments).
This book will be invaluable for practitioners of regulatory reform and public administration, as well as for students and researchers of these topics who will benefit from the unique synthesis of historical, theoretical and practical perspectives on the subject.
Building on decades of research, Florentin Blanc examines the development of inspection institutions and their practices, and assesses their varying effectiveness, and the reasons behind this. Bringing together historical, theoretical, and practical perspectives, Blanc provides ‘large scale’ testing of models through comparative case studies considering practices and their outcomes. By examining case studies, Blanc also assesses how inspection institutions might accomplish better results with less bureaucracy, comparing in particular occupational safety across France, Germany and Great Britain, identifying the key differences between the three, and asking how Britain has achieved a better safety record with fewer inspections (but more efforts to manage risks through other instruments).
This book will be invaluable for practitioners of regulatory reform and public administration, as well as for students and researchers of these topics who will benefit from the unique synthesis of historical, theoretical and practical perspectives on the subject.
Critical Acclaim
‘A serious historical and empirical examination of inspections is long overdue and this is it. Florentin Blanc has perfect credentials based on widespread global experience and academic rigour to undertake this task and succeeds brilliantly. He highlights the evidence on the use, effectiveness and limitations of inspections as a technique, which should be pondered by all regulators and governments.’
– Christopher Hodges, University of Oxford, UK
– Christopher Hodges, University of Oxford, UK
Contents
Contents: 1. Introduction 2. Inspections, risks and circumstances: historical development, diversity of structures and practices 3. Theoretical underpinnings: costs and effectiveness, compliance drivers, discretion issues, risks and regulation 4. Inspections and enforcement: a view from the practice 5. Conclusion Bibliography Index
