A shift in federal policy regulation of the automobile industry: policy brokers and the ACF

The advocacy coalition framework (ACF) provides a means to explore complex policy issues and the dynamics of belief systems shared by multiple actors in the policy-making process. Using a single case study, this article expands the application of the ACF to the complex policy subsystem of the U.S. automobile industry during the 2009 auto bailout and subsequent bankruptcy of General Motors and Chrysler. We examine the development and actions of policy coalitions and further expand the ACF by exploring the role of policy brokers during the automobile crisis. We also examine whether policy brokers are politically neutral actors as previous research debates and what actions they take if compromise cannot be reached between competing coalitions. Keywords: Regulation Policy, Automobile Industry, United States, Advocacy Coalition Framework, Policy Brokers, Policy Subsystems, General Motors, Chrysler, Bankruptcy, Policy Coalitions. El advocacy coalition framework (ACF) ofrece un medio para explorar asuntos de politica complejos asi como la dindmica de sistemas de creencias compartidas por multiples actores en el proceso de hechura de politicas. A partir de un estudio de caso este articulo desarrolla la aplicacion de la ACF al subsistema de politicas de la industria automovilista de los EE.UU. durante el rescate de 2009 y la posterior quiebra de la General Motors y Chrysler. El articulo examina el desarollo y acciones de coaliciones de politica y extiende el ACF al explorar el papel de los intermediarios de politica durante la crisis de la industria del automovil. El articulo tambien examina si acaso los intermediarios de politica son actores politicamente neutrales como lo sugieren debates previos sobre investigacion considerando tambien que acciones podrian llegar a tomar las coaliciones que compiten entre si no llegan a conceder lo que espera cada una de sus contrapartes.
In the summer of 2009, General Motors and Chrysler announced their plans to file for bankruptcy and agreed to a settlement with the federal courts. As part of their settlement [...]