Multiple Arenas, Multiple Populations: Counting Organized Interests in Scottish Public Policy

Interest Group Access to the Bureaucracy, Parliament, and the Media

“…These patterns correspond to previous findings of relatively little overlap between interest groups identified in different data sources (Berkhout and Lowery 2008;Halpin, Baxter, and McLeod 2012). In fact, 64% have been identified in only one of the three arenas, and all arenas have a rather high number of uniquely active groups.…”

“…Although previous research (Bouwen 2004;Halpin, Baxter, and McLeod 2012;Salisbury 1984b, 74-75) has found evidence of diverging patterns of access to different arenas, this article has provided the first systematic test of the relative importance of group type and resources in explaining access to the bureaucracy, parliament, and the media. Although previous research (Bouwen 2004;Halpin, Baxter, and McLeod 2012;Salisbury 1984b, 74-75) has found evidence of diverging patterns of access to different arenas, this article has provided the first systematic test of the relative importance of group type and resources in explaining access to the bureaucracy, parliament, and the media.…”

“…Ever since Schattschneider (1960Schattschneider ( /1975 questioned the pluralist assumption of a relatively wellbalanced group system, scholars have investigated different groups' success in mobilization and political influence (Baumgartner and Leech 1998, 100-119;Jordan et al 2012;Lowery and Gray 2004;Schlozman, Verba, and Brady 2012;Wonka et al 2010). It is, however, possible to compare the share of different types of groups in politically mobilized interest group populations with the level of political access obtained (Danielian and Page 1994) and to establish the relative success of groups across different political venues (Halpin, Baxter, and McLeod 2012). Some groups may be compared with relevant societal groups (see Schlozman 1984), but often, it is not feasible to establish how their "natural" presence in the group system might look (Baumgartner and Leech 1998, 93).…”

Interest Organization Demography Research in Europe

“…Such competition produces anxiety among groups about their survival, especially, and this is a contribution, when past organizational change has been unsuccessful. Halpin, Baxter and MacLeod (2011) (2011) show that, among other findings, the 'bandwagon' effect found in the US and other cases, also seems to occur in the Dutch case. They also highlight the fragmentary nature of the Dutch interest population with a notable specialization in either interest articulation (seeking policy influence) or interest aggregation (membership involvement).…”

Defending the status quo across venues and coalitions: evidence from California interest groups

“…Some studies were dedicated to explaining how groups choose between two or three advocacy strategies in the United States (Grossmann 2012, Hilson 2002, Miller 2009) and in Europe (Binderkrantz 2005, Halpin et al 2012, Perdersen et al 2014, Kriesi et al 2007). The added value of this study is to take into account the direct democracy venue as one strategic option for groups.…”