REGULATEE CHOICE IN CERTIFICATION SCHEMES: EXPLAINING SELECTION FROM AMONG CERTIFIER OPTIONS
研究了美国有机农业认证中，农民如何从公共、非营利和私人认证机构中做出选择，发现认证机构声誉、服务和对有机运动的支持是主要影响因素。
Abstract Voluntary regulatory programmes embody the complex interactions that exist between public organizations and nongovernmental entities in contemporary public administration. This article draws attention to ‘regulatee choice’ in certification programmes, in which programme participants choose from among certifier alternatives. In the context of US organic regulation, regulatee choice is examined through the factors that farmers weigh when selecting from among public, nonprofit, and private certifier options. Drawing on a nation‐wide survey of organic farmers, regulatee choice between public, nonprofit, and private certifiers is found to be differentiated by the importance that regulatees ascribe to certifier reputations and service offerings, as well as regulatee desires to support the organic movement through certification. Regulatee choice between public and nonprofit certifiers is further differentiated by the importance regulatees place on certifiers' perceived regulatory expertise. The article discusses explanations for the findings and the contribution of regulatee choice research.