Regulation is a matter of central importance to industries, consumers, citizens, and governments alike. The third edition of Understanding Regulation provides the reader with an introduction to key debates on regulation and does so from a number of disciplinary perspectives, looking to law, economics, business, political science, sociology, and social administration.

The book has been extensively revised and updated to account for the significant developments in business, regulation, technology, and government that have taken place in the last decade and a half. It contains several new chapters and is structured into parts dealing with fundamentals, strategies, rules and enforcement, regulatory quality and evaluation, regulation beyond the state, regulating network industries, and unfolding issues (including challenges relating to digital platforms, artificial intelligence, and sustainability).

Understanding Regulation draws on regulatory experiences in many sectors and countries throughout the world. It reviews the central questions of regulation and explores the key issues that affect the operation of regulatory regimes. It is an essential resource for academics and researchers involved with regulation, as well as those concerned with the design and practice of regulation.