Publication
Title
Influence, affluence and media salience: economic resources and lobbying influence in the European Union
Author
Abstract
This paper evaluates the circumstances under which affluent interest groups wield influence over policy outcomes. Interest group scholarship is ambiguous about the beneficial role of economic resources for lobbying influence. Economically resourceful groups are often presumed to provide more and better expert information to decision-makers and, in exchange, receive more favourable policy concessions. We argue that the beneficial role of economic resources is contingent on the media salience of policy dossiers. We expect that resourceful groups are more influential when issues are discussed behind the public scenes, while their competitive advantage dampens once issues grow salient in the news media. We test our expectations in the context of European Union policymaking, drawing from 183 expert surveys with lobbyists connected to a sample of 41 policy issues. Our empirical findings demonstrate that economic resources matter for lobbying influence, but that their effect is conditional on the media salience of policy issues.
Language
English
Source (journal)
European Union politics. - London, 2000, currens
Publication
London : Sage publications ltd , 2020
ISSN
1465-1165 [print]
1741-2757 [online]
DOI
10.1177/1465116520944572
Volume/pages
p. 1-23
Article Reference
1465116520944572
ISI
000556580600001
Medium
E-only publicatie
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Publication type
Subject
Law 
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 03.08.2020
Last edited 12.12.2024
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