International benchmarking: Politics and policy

As policy-makers search for signposts to guide the design and implementation of successful public policies, international benchmarking is increasingly viewed as an attractive source of inspiration and policy learning. Yet, despite its popularity, its claims as a technique for policy learning are surprisingly understudied. This paper critically examines the use of international benchmarking as a policy-making tool and draws insights from structured interviews with a diverse range of policy-makers, researchers, and academics. First, the study found that rather than being used as a tool for policy learning, international benchmarking is more often employed to steer political agendas. Second, there is a notable resistance on the part of policy-makers to adopt the ‘lessons’ of international comparisons, often on the basis of claims of ‘exceptionalism’. Finally, the appeal of rankings, league tables, and best practices can gloss over important contextual factors that inform the policy learning process, crowding out other valuable modes of policy learning.