It is relatively easy to characterize the institutional structure of a country as consociational or federal. The task is much more difficult if we turn from structure to the decision process. Within a given structure, there may be a great deal of variation with regard to the decision process. Data for such variation are given for the decision process in Switzerland for which the following four types are distinguished: (1) consociational and federal, (2) consociational and unitary, (3) competitive and federal, and (4) competitive and unitary. Difficulties are discussed in aggregating from such a variation to a measure for the prevailing decision process in a country as a whole. It is suggested that the problem be disaggregated and that decision processes be compared for particular issues. This can be done both across and within countrie
