Replication data for: Information Exchange in Policy Networks

Information exchange in policy networks is usually attributed to preference similarity, influence reputation, social trust and institutional actor roles. We suggest that political opportunity structures and transaction costs play another crucial role and estimate a rich statistical network model on tie formation in the German toxic chemicals policy domain. The results indicate that the effect of preference similarity is absorbed by institutional, relational and social opportunity structures. Political actors choose contacts that minimize transaction costs while maximizing outreach and information. We also find that different types of information exchange operate in complementary, but not necessarily congruent, ways.政策网络中的信息交换通常被归因于偏好相似度、影响力声望、社会信任与制度性行动者角色。本研究提出，政治机会结构与交易成本同样发挥着关键作用，并针对德国有毒化学品政策领域的关系纽带形成问题，估计了一个丰富的统计网络模型。研究结果显示，偏好相似度的效应被制度性、关系性及社会性机会结构所吸收。政治行动者会选择能够最小化交易成本，同时最大化信息触达范围与信息量的互动伙伴。本研究同时发现，不同类型的信息交换以互补而非必然一致的方式运作。