Interest Group Society, The (4th Edition) (Longman Classics Edition)

The Interest Group Society analyzes the increasing importance of interest groups and the consequences of their growing numbers in American politics today. Within a framework of traditional democratic theory, the text examines the origins, maintenance, and marketing of interest groups, as well as their relationship to the party system. Comprehensive coverage includes not only the traditional farm, labor, and trade associations, but also citizen groups, public interest organizations, corporations, and public interest firms. Emphasis is placed on the lobbying of all three branches of government, as well as on grassroots support and the lobbying of public opinion.

What are the challenges facing public interest groups as a result of their transformation from the small, grassroots groups of the 1960s into the large, professionalized, multi-billion dollar industry of the '90s? How might public interest groups meet these challenges as they move into the next century? Focusing on national environmental organizations, including Sierra Club, National Wildlife Federation, The Wilderness Society, and Environmental Defense Fund, Voices and Echoes for the Environment demonstrates how the demands of organizational maintenance encroach on the goal of effective policy influence.

"Activists beyond Borders is a searching exploration of advocacy networks, providing compelling accounts in areas such as human rights and environmental protection and an intriguing glimpse into the transnational politics of the twenty-first century."--Robert O. Keohane, Duke University

Margaret E. Keck and Kathryn Sikkink examine a type of pressure group that has been largely ignored by political analysts: networks of activists that coalesce and operate across national frontiers. Their targets may be international organizations or the policies of particular states. Historical examples of such transborder alliances include anti-slavery and woman suffrage campaigns. In the past two decades, transnational activism has had a significant impact in human rights, especially in Latin America, and advocacy networks have strongly influenced environmental politics as well. The authors also examine the emergence of an international campaign around violence against women.

The focus of their book is how "advocacy networks", as opposed to the traditional government agencies, effect change. These advocacy networks work alongside and often against governments in often non-traditional methods to achieve a desired result. In the case of timber harvesting, for example, advocacy networks were unsuccessful in persuading governments to alter their poicies so the organizations within that network focused on the consumers of timber. They successfully exposed the objectionable timber harvesting practices of various companies and enabled consumers to exert pressure on timber harvesting companies to change their practices.

Advocacy Groups and the Entertainment Industry

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Advocacy Groups and the Entertainment Industry

Manufacturer: Praeger Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0275968855

Skillfully blending historical data with microeconomic theory, Glenn Parker argues that the incentives for congressional service have declined over the years, and that with that decline has come a change in the kind of person who seeks to enter Congress. The decline in the attractiveness of Congress is a consequence of congressional careerists and of the growth in the rent-seeking society, a term which describes the efforts of special interests to obtain preferential treatment by using the machinery of government--legislation and regulations.

Parker provides a fresh and controversial perspective to the debate surrounding the relative merits of career or amateur politicians. He argues that driving career politicians from office can have pernicious effects on the political system: it places the running of Congress in the hands of amateur politicians, who stand to lose little if they are found engaging in illegal or quasi-legal practices. On the other hand, career legislators risk all they have invested in their long careers in public service if they engage in unsavory practices. As Parker develops this controversial argument, he provides a fresh perspective on the debate surrounding the value of career versus amateur politicians.

Little attention has been given to the long-term impact of a rent-seeking society on the evolution of political institutions. Parker examines empirically and finds support for hypotheses that reflect potential symptoms of adverse selection in the composition of Congress: (1) rent-seeking politicians are more inclined than others to manipulate institutional arrangements for financial gain; (2) the rent-seeking milieu of legislators are more likely to engage in rent-seeking activity than earlier generations; (3) and the growth of rent-seeking activity has hastened the departure of career legislators.

Glenn R. Parker is Distinguished Research Professor, Florida State University.

An international and multidisciplinary collection of works capturing the quintessence of the corporation and its inner and outer manifestations. Drawing on their wide experience the editors have assembled a portfolio of works from those who practice, as well as those who study and research the area. These will be of interest to anyone studying, analyzing and managing an organization's identity, image, reputation and corporate brand.
The book draws on articles from leading journals in the field and includes important recent articles as well as classics, written by recognised masters of the genre, which still inform current debate and practice.
Key feature include:
*insightful commentary from the editors on each section
*discussion and study questions
*links to other works in the genre
This book is invaluable to both students and managers who are concerned with comprehending the dimensions of corporate meaning.