Indicators of Independence in Regulatory Commissions

Abstract

Independent regulatory commissions such as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) must produce policies that reflect technical expertise, legal precedent, and stakeholder input. Given these situational imperatives, how does the FCC implement independence in its decision-making? This research explicates some of the underlying rules, resources, and relationships within the environment in which the agency is embedded that influence agency work practices to operationalize independence. Research such as this may be helpful in the creation of new, or for assessment of existing, regulatory commissions, but only if great attention is paid not only to institutional structure, but also to the practice of staff in the agency.