Emerging from the shadows? Perceptions, problems and potential consensus on the functional and civic roles of public affairs practice

Abstract

In the context of public concern and negative media portrayals in regard to the civic impact of the public relations specialisms of public affairs and lobbying this paper seeks to expand upon normative theorising in academic PR and public

Public affairs practice and lobbying inequality: Reform and regulation of the influence game

“…Widely reported lobbying scandal stories across most countries feed into high levels of distrust within public opinion. Although opinion‐forming elites view lobbying as an important part of the democratic process (Davidson & Rowe, ), only a quarter of U.K. citizens classified DE (semiskilled, unskilled workers, and the unemployed) believe democracy addresses their interests (Lawrence, ). When asked to explain their negative public image, practitioners tend to accept they are perceived as facilitating unfair influence for corporate interests (Davidson & Rowe, ).…”

“…The most apparent problem with normative theorising is that it builds frameworks to establish how the industry ought to be but fail to enlighten on the reality of everyday practice. For example, lobbyists provide a steady stream of information and expertise on the present situation in any given issue that decision‐makers rely on to evaluative their policy options (Davidson & Rowe, ). This process forms an information subsidy that reduces time and other costs for officials and legislators (Gandy, ; Turk, ).…”

The relationship management function of public affairs officers in Chile: Identifying opportunities and challenges in an emergent market

“…Second, based on its relationship management function, public affairs is viewed as a public relations subset (Heath, ). Finally, the ultimate outcome of public affairs relationships is a direct focus on public policy outcomes (Davidson & Rowe, ) through a variety of functions including governmental relations, lobbying (Sadi & Meneghetti, ), and corporate activism (McGrath, Moss, & Harris, ).…”

The construction of an elusive concept: Framing the controversial role and practice of lobbying in Swedish media

“…The role and practice of lobbying in modern democratic societies is in many cases a controversial subject (Baumgartner et al, 2009; Coombs and Holladay, 2013; Davidson and Rowe, 2016; Ihlen and Berntzen, 2007; Mahoney, 2008; Moloney, 2002; Naurin, 2007b). Lobbying as the influence of organized interests on the political policy process is not a new practice (Milbrath, 1963), and the right to influence is generally fortified in democratic constitutions.…”

“…Yet, the essence and impact of lobbying are questions that are subject to extensive scholarly discussion. Besides exploring lobbying as significant part of an effective democracy, many scholars highlight the complexities that accompany this concept, stressing issues of inequality, ethics, and accountability in relation to the practice (Boddewyn, 2012; Davidson and Rowe, 2016; Fleisher, 2012; Hill and Varone, 2014; Schwarzmantel, 1994). Some scholars even discuss that lobbying can be regarded as a form of legal corruption since it is a form of influence induced by the private sector on governments for preferential treatment (Campos and Giovannoni, 2007; Esteban and Ray, 2006; Kaufmann and Vicente, 2011).…”