Public Forces and Private Politics in American Big Business

Timothy Werner is an Associate Professor of Business, Government and Society at McCombs School of Business, University of Texas, Austin. He previously worked as a legislative and regulatory analyst for a major energy firm, which inspired him to place the investigation of corporations' private political decision-making at the heart of his research. He was presented with the Emerging Scholars Award by the American Political Science Association (APSA) in September 2013.

'How is it that big business in the US has become both more powerful over government and more vulnerable to activist pressure? In addressing this puzzle, Timothy Werner has pulled off a major feat: he has woven together an analysis of 'private politics', public policy agendas, and the theory of the firm that is accessible, nuanced, and wide-ranging in its implications.' Tim Bartley, Indiana University

• 1. Introduction; 2. The firm as political actor and a theory of private policymaking; 3. Unveiling the public roots of private policymaking; 4. The public, the state, and corporate environmentalism; 5. Public opinion and gay rights in the workplace; 6. Total executive compensation and regulatory threat; 7. Conclusion; Appendix: data sources and variable measurement by chapter.