Research Handbook on Public Affairs

Edited by Arco Timmermans, Leiden University, the Netherlands

‘Public affairs, and particularly lobbying, is still surrounded by images of mystery. This is harmful for the profession, and it is the profession itself that can improve reputation and elevate the field to more public recognition. With a more open approach to ways of influencing, goals and ethical principles and norms, public affairs can become a more socially responsible field of practice. One way to stimulate this is by bringing together scholars and practitioners to reflect on the ways and means of influencing public policy and making systematic learning more rewarding. This new Handbook written by an impressive group of scholars and practitioners addresses key topics and adds much to learning, both by students and practitioners in the field. Rather than a “how to do”-book, it is a book about ‘how to think and look’ and presents critical yet constructive perspectives on public affairs. It helps unveiling the mystery of lobbying.’

• ContentsPreface and acknowledgments xviiIntroduction: the case for connecting research and practice in public affairs 1Arco TimmermansPART I FOUNDATIONS OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS AS A DISCIPLINEAND PROFESSION1 The analytical and normative basis of public affairs 9Arco Timmermans2 Managing and practicing public affairs around the globe 24Craig S. Fleisher3 The emergence of public affairs and prospects for its existence asa discipline in research and education 39Danny Moss4 The public affairs profession reinvents itself—again 50Douglas G. PinkhamPART II CONTEXT FOR EMBEDDING AND ORIENTING PUBLICAFFAIRS5 Organizational settings and corporate affairs: building trust for thrivingin a polarized world 67Jennifer J. Griffin6 The political system and cultural conditions: a comparative perspective 85Direnç Kanol7 Population ecology of actors in public affairs: types of interests andpolicy domains 99Joost Berkhout8 The rise of challengers in the arenas of lobbying and advocacy 116Erik van Venetië and Arco Timmermans9 Corporate social responsibility and management of reputation: a closelook at enterprise‒public relationships 131Anil Yasin ArPART III RESEARCH FOR THE EVIDENCE BASIS OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS10 The dynamics of issues and agenda denial 147Ana Cláudia Niedhardt Capella11 Analyzing frames in public and media venues 163Ketil Raknes and Øyvind Ihlen12 Coalitions in public affairs 177Wiebke Marie Junk13 Routes of access and influence 192Anne Skorkjær Binderkrantz and Helene Helboe Pedersen14 Measuring the effectiveness of lobbying 206Patrick BernhagenPART IV REPERTOIRE OF COMPETENCIES FOR STRATEGY ANDSUCCESS15 The nature of competencies: towards a multidimensional competencyframework for public affairs 222Paul Shotton and Arco Timmermans16 Knowledge management and digital tools for lobbying and public affairs 240Marialessandra Carro, Claudio Di Mario and Alberto Bitonti17 Real or robot? Risks and benefits of Generative Artificial Intelligence:a practical guide for public affairs 256Jason Voiovich18 A game of plots: storytelling, narrative competition, and stakeholdercharacterization in public affairs 269Karel Joos19 Issues management: a new model for a key function in public affairs 282Shannon A. Bowen, Alessandro Lovari and Arco TimmermansPART V IMPACT OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS20 Ethical competencies and analysis in an age of socially and digitallyinfluenced public affairs 299Shannon A. Bowen and Alessandro Lovari21 Public accountability of lobbying in democracies 314Alberto Bitonti and Jean-Patrick Villeneuve22 Enhancing the relationship between business and society: a publicaffairs maturity model 328Christiaan Luca, Marjolijn Vencken and Paul Beijer23 Regulation of lobbying: comparative state of the art and developments 344John Hogan and Alberto Bitonti24 A behavioral perspective on the receiving end in public affairs:a taxonomy of responses 359Arco Timmermans and Erik van VenetiëConclusion: the future of public affairs research and education 376Arco TimmermansIndex 381