The meaning of the word "lobby" has certain features depending on the point of view from which the term is considered. It should be said that the concept itself can be considered a kind of cornerstone for understanding the whole topic. What does lobbying mean? This question requires a very detailed and detailed answer. Let us examine the concept in more detail, and also find out what the term “lobby” for synonyms is.
Legal point of view
In the framework of this approach, lobbying means interacting with authorities in a special way. Citizens, public associations, groups, individuals, enterprises, organizations can take part in the process. In turn, they specialize in lobbying. Also, other subjects of legal relations can take part in the process. The main goal of this interaction is to influence the adoption of the necessary individual decisions, namely: administrative, official, political and other legislative acts. Lobbying interests can be carried out on an ongoing basis.
Institutional approach
From this point of view, the concept is one of the functions of the political system. It provides a relationship with the goal of influencing the subjects of the specified system. In this case, lobbying is to maintain equilibrium in society. In the framework of the system-functional approach, the method is considered as a special type of activity that complements the electoral process.
Other points of view
In the framework of the instrumental approach, the concept represents a number of methods and options for influencing the development of significant government decisions. From a communication point of view, an official trusts lobbying for a specialist to save resources (intellectual, informational, contact). In the procedural approach, the definition is one of the organic components of the bureaucratic system, as well as the course and rules of the government decision-making process. From a pluralistic point of view, the term should be understood as a special type of activity. All lobbyists taking part in interactions are one of the parties in the system of development and adoption of significant government decisions. In the framework of the corporatist approach, the concept is also a kind of activity. Only the most influential organizations take part in it. In this case, lobbying is to influence the development of significant state decisions, using the real opportunities available to the mentioned associations. In the framework of the psychological approach, the concept is an influence for the purpose of manipulation on persons endowed with a certain power.
Lobbying activities
From a formal point of view, lobbying means participating in all types of interactions that contain a combination of certain methods of influence on decision-making by state authorities. This activity, like all other types, contains procedures, operations, techniques and special operating modes. Lobbying is closely interconnected with the equipment, tools and instruments used.
Detailed information
Classical lobbying technologies are quite widely known. They represent the execution of the following elements:
- Contributions to election companies.
- Speeches in the relevant committees of the state body, as well as participation in various hearings.
- Publication of the results of deputy votes on bills.
- Organization of advocacy related to training and decision making.
- The development of bills and their submission for discussion.
- Conducting scientific conferences in which representatives of government participate.
- Presentation of research results, in particular social surveys, in government and the media.
- Collaboration with the press (including information transfer).
- Organization of gala receptions and meetings for representatives of the authorities.
- Bribery of officials: indirect and direct.
- Application of advertising moves to promoted bills.
All of the above elements are included in the main arsenal of the lobbyist.
Closed data
Representatives of lobbying activities are extremely reluctant to share their professional methods. It is unlikely that someone will want to gain a short-lived fame in exchange for really effective ways to earn big income. Among other things, most of the ideas about such technologies are incorrect. The main ideological component does not have any scientific basis. The alleged schemes are based solely on rumors and are almost never confirmed by real statistics.
Influence agents and their implementation
These dummies penetrate the apparatuses of relevant departments and structures of competing companies. The principle of lobbying is based on the fact that any system (group of persons, organization, political institutions, etc.) needs to be taken under control for further management or destruction through the introduction of its agents. This makes it possible to influence the adoption of various decisions. Lobbyists can direct their activities towards the imposition of regulations and agendas for examining controlled aspects. To accomplish this task, it is necessary to introduce agents into public supervisory authorities under the authority. It is also very beneficial to have representatives in the appropriate authorities. It is widely practiced to impose obviously inefficient objects on competitors. Those that seem quite promising. Using this method, you can make competitors spend various resources and quickly acquire the status of incompetent specialists.
The luring of officials to their side is carried out not only through negotiations, but also by exposing the events in a favorable light for themselves. Accordingly, they can be modeled. There is the possibility of artificially creating local crises, the main task of which is to influence the person making the decision. With this lever, you can push him to choose the most profitable option for lobbyists. Crisis trends need to be projected onto competitors. For example, a situation has arisen in which the authorities are forced to increase the amount of taxation on a part of a certain sector. Care should be taken to direct these adverse elements to competing companies. In this situation, the best way out is to use a kind of repayment. It is advantageous to establish active cooperation with federal and regional associations. These groups specialize in protecting interests in government and can be very useful. The pyramid principle is best for selecting and acquiring allied parties. It lies in the fact that the larger the base of the structure, the higher its tip.
