Europeanisation and Cultural Variation in Policymaking: the case of the EU Positive Energy Districts initiative

TY - JOUR

T1 - Europeanisation and Cultural Variation in Policymaking: the case of the EU Positive Energy Districts initiative

AU - Derkenbaeva, Erkinai

AU - Yoo, Han Kyul

AU - Hofstede, Gert Jan

AU - Galanakis, Kostas

AU - Ackrill, Robert

N1 - © 2025 The Author(s).

PY - 2025/9/2

Y1 - 2025/9/2

N2 - EU-wide policy-making can potentially involve considerable variety in the styles of policy implementation response across member states. This is one manifestation of Europeanisation: how EU membership impacts member states. This variety across member states has been sustained, as EU policy-making expands into new policy areas, alongside developments in experimentalist modes of governance. In this study, we offer new insights into Europeanisation by exploring the issue of national culture as developed by Geert and Gert Jan Hofstede. We analyse how cultural variation can have a profound impact on preferred local policy-making styles, demonstrating how a culturally sensitive lens highlights different policy means being adopted to achieve common policy goals. To explore this empirically, we analyse interview data from experts in renewable energy system development, specifically around how they perceive the implementation approaches for the relatively new concept of positive energy districts (PEDs) in Amsterdam, Lisbon and Vienna. We develop an analytical framework drawing together key enabling elements of PEDs with different implicit cultural models. We find that expert insights into PED development align with the theoretical lens of cultural variation. We conclude that cultural variation can have a significant impact on how member states respond to and implement EU-level policy goals.

AB - EU-wide policy-making can potentially involve considerable variety in the styles of policy implementation response across member states. This is one manifestation of Europeanisation: how EU membership impacts member states. This variety across member states has been sustained, as EU policy-making expands into new policy areas, alongside developments in experimentalist modes of governance. In this study, we offer new insights into Europeanisation by exploring the issue of national culture as developed by Geert and Gert Jan Hofstede. We analyse how cultural variation can have a profound impact on preferred local policy-making styles, demonstrating how a culturally sensitive lens highlights different policy means being adopted to achieve common policy goals. To explore this empirically, we analyse interview data from experts in renewable energy system development, specifically around how they perceive the implementation approaches for the relatively new concept of positive energy districts (PEDs) in Amsterdam, Lisbon and Vienna. We develop an analytical framework drawing together key enabling elements of PEDs with different implicit cultural models. We find that expert insights into PED development align with the theoretical lens of cultural variation. We conclude that cultural variation can have a significant impact on how member states respond to and implement EU-level policy goals.

KW - Culture

KW - EU Energy Transition

KW - Europeanisation

KW - Urban Transition Policymaking

KW - Energy Districts

KW - Experimentalist Governance

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105015165991

U2 - 10.1111/jcms.13769

DO - 10.1111/jcms.13769

M3 - Article

SN - 0021-9886

JO - Journal of Common Market Studies (JCMS)

JF - Journal of Common Market Studies (JCMS)

ER -