Martin Painter is Professor in the Department of Public and Social Administration, City University of Hong Kong. He was previously Associate Professor in the Department of Government and Public Administration at the University of Sydney. He is the author or editor of nine books and over seventy articles and book chapters. Jon Pierre is Professor of Political Science at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Pittsburgh, USA. He previously held a Chair in Politics at the University of Strathclyde, UK. He is author or editor of 15 books and numerous journal articles.

• Notes on the Contributors Unpacking Policy Capacity: Issues and Themes; M.Painter & J.Pierre Capacity Beyond the Boundary: New Regulatory State, Fragmentation and Relational Capacity; K.Jayasuriya Swings and Roundabouts? Multilevel Governance as a Source of and Constraint on Policy Capacity; B.G.Peters & J.Pierre The Europeanization of National Policy Capacities; C.Knill Policy Instruments and Policy Capacity; B.G.Peters Machinery of Government and Policy Capacity: The Effects of Specialization and Coordination; K.Verhoest & G.Bouckaert Ministries and Agencies: Steering, Meddling, Neglect and Dependency; C.Pollitt Autonomization and Policy Capacity - The Dilemmas and Challenges Facing Political Executives; T.Christensen & P.Lægreid Policy-making Reforms and Civil Service Systems: An Exploration of Agendas and Consequences; M.Brans & D.Vancoppenolle Public Service Reform and Policy Capacity: Recruiting and Retaining the Best and the Brightest; P.Aucoin & H.Bakvis Policy Capacity and Citizens' Attitudes: 'Developmentalism' in Nine Asian States; I.Marsh State Capacity in Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan: Coping with Legitimation, Integration and Performance; A.B.L.Cheung Conclusions: Challenges to Policy Capacity; M.Painter & J.Pierre Index