Do Changes in Program Design Affect Outcomes?
Study of the Chemical Industry’s Responsible Care Initiative For the past two decades, in an attempt to bolster public opinion and avoid costly regulation, a number of trade associations have promoted industry self-regulation—the voluntary association of firms to control their collective behavior. A leading example of industry self-regulation in the United States is the chemical manufacturing industry’s Responsible Care initiative. The chemical industry adopted Responsible Care in the late 1980s in response to the tragic chemical accident in Bhopal, India, and it was hailed as the most sophisticated and far-reaching regime of self-regulation found anywhere in the world (Gunningham 1995). By the late-1990s, however, questions began to arise about Responsible Care’s effectiveness. Amid mounting criticism, the American Chemistry Council initiated a series of steps to strengthen Responsible Care. Is the “new” Responsible Care bringing about more consistent adoption of Responsible Care mana
