Evaluating policy complexity with Causal Loop Diagrams

Crabolu, G., Font, X., & Eker, S. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2264-132X (2023). Evaluating policy complexity with Causal Loop Diagrams. Annals of Tourism Research 100 e103572. 10.1016/j.annals.2023.103572.

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Abstract

Methods to capture the complexity of using policy instruments would allow us to better evaluate the reasons for their effectiveness. Drawing from complexity science, we produce a Causal Loop Diagram to analyse the implementation of two informational policy instruments in a tourism destination: the Global Sustainable Tourism Council criteria and the European Tourism Indicator Scheme. To interpret the emerging system structure, we use complexity theory concepts of emergence; interdependence and interconnectivity; co-evolution; self-organisation; feedback; historicity and path dependence. This qualitative methodology sheds light on the interplay of factors that facilitate and impede the continuous use of these policy instruments. It shows how adopting a complexity science approach to evaluation studies can be invaluable to making tourism policy interventions more impactful.

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