MULTILEVEL GOVERNANCE, INTERGOVERNMENTAL CONFLICT, AND REGULATORY QUALITY: A PLS-SEM ANALYSIS OF NORMATIVE HARMONIZATION AT THE SUBNATIONAL LEVEL

Abstract

This study examines the relationships among multilevel governance, intergovernmental conflict, normative harmonization, and subnational regulatory quality using a Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) approach. Drawing on a simulated dataset of public administration actors, the research evaluates both measurement and structural models to identify key determinants of regulatory performance. The results indicate that multilevel governance positively influences normative harmonization, while intergovernmental conflict exerts a negative effect on both harmonization and regulatory quality. Normative harmonization emerges as a significant mediating variable, enhancing the consistency, transparency, and efficiency of subnational regulatory frameworks. The model demonstrates substantial explanatory power, confirming that governance dynamics are critical predictors of regulatory outcomes. These findings contribute to the literature by integrating coordination and conflict perspectives within a unified analytical framework and provide practical implications for strengthening institutional alignment and reducing fragmentation in multilevel governance systems.