01.09.2026journal-article
International Review of Administrative Sciences
Social policy expansion amidst limited policy capacities: The case of subnational comprehensive care systems in Latin America
Limited policy capacity is commonly expected to constrain the expansion of social policy. Yet, across Latin America, several subnational governments have expanded Comprehensive Care Systems despite persistent fiscal, organizational, and institutional constraints. How do implementing agencies expand social policy under such conditions? This paper argues that policy capacity shapes implementation through the organizational coping strategies agencies adopt when implementation demands exceed available capacities. I exa …