Institutional analysis of creative economy policy transfers at the local level: a study in Lisbon (Portugal)

The municipality of Lisbon, Portugal, has stood out for its rupture with standard public management by assuming the responsibility for developing a creative economy Public Policy (PP) and initiating this process separately from the cultural sector. From the standpoint of institutional theory and through the case study method, the objective is to understand the policy transfer processes that influenced this policy. It was identified that the PP transfer began through the isomorphic adoption of the British model, which was driven by the need for international acceptance. Later on, the interpretation of the transferred PP occurred by adopting new practices with different influences, such as the valuation of incubators and the formation of support networks for new ventures. So, this study contributes to broadening discussions relate to the role of institutional theory in analyzing public policy, mainly on up-and-coming sectors.