Policy reinvention in diffusion: Evidence from municipal solid waste classification policy in China

Abstract While research on policy diffusion has gained significant interest among scholars worldwide, little attention has been given to policy reinvention in diffusion. This study aims to investigate the influencing factors and combination paths of policy reinvention in the Municipal Solid Waste Classification Policy (MSWCP). To achieve this, a theoretical framework encompassing internal factors, intergovernmental relations, and external influence has been constructed. Empirical analysis has been conducted on the MSWCP of 31 large‐ and medium‐sized cities in China using Qualitative Comparative Analysis. Through this analysis, several combination paths that prompted local governments to reinvent policies have been identified. Furthermore, the study has clarified the various roles of six conditions—financial resources, government attention, policy experience, peer competition, organizational learning, and social demand—in achieving policy reinvention. These findings are expected to provide new theoretical and practical insights into the field of policy reinvention research.