Interest Groups and Policy Capacity: Modes of Engagement, Policy Goods and Networks

The costs of interest representation – a resource perspective on informational lobbying

“…For the purpose of this paper, they are categorized as representation and mobilization capacity. Representation capacity is defined by a group's ability to speak on behalf of its constituents (Daugbjerg et al, 2018) or the public at large (Binderkrantz et al, 2015: 99) as well as its close interactions with its members or general citizens. It also refers to the number of people who are represented by that organization as well as the knowledge of what the public thinks about an issue (Baumgartner et al, 2009) and a group's ability to operate as a mediating organization that aggregates societal interests which are transmitted to the policymakers (Berkhout et al, 2017b).…”

“…It also refers to the number of people who are represented by that organization as well as the knowledge of what the public thinks about an issue (Baumgartner et al, 2009) and a group's ability to operate as a mediating organization that aggregates societal interests which are transmitted to the policymakers (Berkhout et al, 2017b). Mobilization capacity is defined as a group's ability to obtain and sustain political support (Daugbjerg et al, 2018) and encompasses the amount of public support a group can mobilize (Dür and Mateo, 2013;Fraussen and Beyers, 2016: 664). This requires communication skills, members, and support (Daugbjerg et al, 2018), but not necessarily financial resources.…”

“…Mobilization capacity is defined as a group's ability to obtain and sustain political support (Daugbjerg et al, 2018) and encompasses the amount of public support a group can mobilize (Dür and Mateo, 2013;Fraussen and Beyers, 2016: 664). This requires communication skills, members, and support (Daugbjerg et al, 2018), but not necessarily financial resources. The following section will elaborate on the underlying mechanisms of how economic resources and political capacities enable information provision, arguing that while economic resources may help with the provision of expert information, political capacities are more valuable for information on public preferences than economic resources.…”

“…In addition to economic resources, which are defined as an organization's financial means, groups possess political capacities. Political capacities refer to the ability to represent the public or a constituency (Baumgartner et al, 2009;Binderkrantz et al, 2015;Daugbjerg et al, 2018), to act as a mediating actor between citizens and policymakers (Berkhout et al, 2017b), but also to mobilize the public and generate support (Dür and Mateo, 2013;Fraussen and Beyers, 2016;Daugbjerg et al, 2018). The paper argues that while the provision of expert information indeed requires economic resources, information on public preferences can, above all, be acquired with a group's political capacities rather than its economic resources.…”

Is the EU different? Comparing the diversity of national and EU-level systems of interest organisations

“…In broad terms, this may be information on the interest or preference of the members of the organisation or it may be information on the technical quality of certain proposals (Bouwen 2004;Braun 2012). Organisations with a strong focus on membership involvement are more likely to provide a different type of policy information compared to organisations with a well-developed policy orientation (Daugbjerg et al, 2017). Hence, organisational specialisation results in different kinds of interest groups capable of offering distinct types of policy information (Minkoff et al 2008).…”