UNIVERSITY OF AARHUS

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Way of Influence and Different Strategies for the
NGOs

• Anne Binderkrantz

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Overview

• Changed conditions for political influence
• Different strategies of influence
• Which interest groups are influential?

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Presentation

• Studied political science in Denmark and the US
• Department of political science, University of
  Aarhus
• Research area interest groups and other
  political actors
• PhD on interest group strategies
• Empirical investigation of Danish interest groups
  

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1. Changed conditions for political influence
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What is political influence?

• Many kinds of political influence
• Laws and other parliamentary decisions
• Implementation of laws and administrative
  decisions
• Media agendas
• Affecting the public opinion

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Interest groups and political influence

• Different kinds of interest groups
• Different political goals better schools or a
  better environment
• Different groups are succesful in different ways
• All groups are affected by changed conditions for
  political influence

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Societal trends 1975-today

• Society from industrial society to information
  society
• Voters new issues and more volatility in voting
• Parties looser relations to societal groups
• Parliament stronger Parliaments
• The media increased political importance

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Decline of corporatism I

• What is corporatism?
• Involvement of interest groups in administrative
  decision making
• Committees and boards with interest groups
• Formal hearings when bills are proposed
• Informal contacts between groups and bureaucrats
• Interest groups take part in implementation and
  administration

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Corporatism around 1990
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Decline of corporatism II

• Since around 1975 corporatism under pressure
• Fewer public bodies with interest groups
• Even major interest groups not involved in all
  decisions
• More flexible corporatism today

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New important arenas

• Parliament has gained in importance
• The European Union as a new arena
• Agenda setting is more important
• The media plays an important role
• Politics is faster than earlier

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Consequences for interest groups I

• Two logics of influence
• Special interests or general interests?
• Old logic groups get influence because they
  represent specific interests
• New logic groups get influence because if they
  can appeal to the general interests

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Consequences for interest groups II

• Less certain involvement in corporatism
• Lobbyism is more important
• Old alliances are not enough
• Need to react fast
• Necessary to use a broad spectrum of strategies

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2. Different strategies of influence
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Four strategies of influence
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Use of different strategies I
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Use of different strategies II
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Use of different strategies III

• All four strategies are used
• Most tactics are used by more than two thirds of
  interest groups
• Some tactics are only used by a few groups
• Groups prefer conventional tactics
• Groups do not only use corporatist methods

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Business groups Humanitarian groups
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How do we explain differences?

• Interest groups have different objectives
• Different types of resources are politically
  relevant
• The administration Appeal to special interests
  and traditional resources
• Media and politicians Appeal to the general
  interests and demonstrate broad support

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3. Which interest groups are influential?
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Are interest groups succesful?
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Which groups are succesfull?
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Summary of empirical evidence

• Some groups prioritize corporative relations
• Other groups are more interested in other
  strategies
• Even groups heavily involved in corporatism use
  other strategies
• Different strategies lead to different types of
  influence

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Summing up

• Important changes in conditions for political
  influence
• Ambitious groups need to use different strategies
  of influence
• Use both the old and the new logic of
  influence
• Nurture a good relationship with politicians and
  bureaucrats
• Use the media professionally
• Mobilize members to show support
• Choose strategies depending on your goals