Recognising the Social Nature of Regulatory Compliance and Focusing on Front-Line Interactions

Abstract

AbstractIn the swirling conversations about regulation and compliance, a fundamental aspect is often neglected: the fact that regulatory compliance is inherently a social process. Regulation requires individuals (and their organisations) to alter their behaviour and subject themselves to some sort of review or monitoring of that behaviour. Further, actions and involvement with one another are required by individuals on the front-lines of regulation, the regulators, and the regulatees, and not just the individuals at the highest levels of governments and organisations. This chapter will review how regulatory compliance is fundamentally a social process that is engaged in by key—but often overlooked—front-line actors, describe these interactions, and detail the implications for regulatory governance moving forward.