How do corporations influence European politics today and their social impact?

Introduction

Corporations today play a significant role in shaping European politics and have a profound social impact. Their influence extends through various mechanisms, including corporate social responsibility (CSR), lobbying, and affiliations with political pressure groups. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for comprehending the broader implications of corporate actions on democracy, policy-making, and social welfare.

Key Insights

Corporate Political Activity and CSR:
- Corporations engage in political activities through CSR initiatives, which can influence global governance and political realities, impacting fundamental political goods like democracy and liberty .
- Business influence on politics can negatively impact representative democracy, highlighting the need for a balance between private and public sector cooperation.
Lobbying and National Business Cultures:
- Corporate lobbying in the European Union is significantly influenced by national business cultures. Managers' culturally-grounded attitudes towards time, power, and hierarchy shape their political engagement and tactics.
- Despite expectations, cultural preferences for autonomy or group action do not significantly affect participation levels in the policy-making process.
Affiliation with Political Pressure Groups:
- Directors of large corporations in Britain often affiliate with political pressure groups based on their socio-economic backgrounds. Elite education, club memberships, wealth, and multiple directorships are associated with higher propensities to affiliate, indicating that directors form a privileged group capable of unilateral political actions.
Institutional and Stakeholder Perspectives on CSR:
- Differences in institutional environments between Europe and the United States affect corporate responsibilities to society. These differences are reflected in government policies, corporate strategies, and NGO activism towards issues like global warming, trade in genetically modified organisms, and pharmaceutical pricing.

Conclusion

Corporations influence European politics through CSR initiatives, lobbying activities, and affiliations with political pressure groups. These actions can shape policy-making and impact democratic processes. National business cultures and socio-economic backgrounds of corporate directors play a crucial role in determining the extent and nature of this influence. Additionally, institutional differences between regions like Europe and the United States further shape corporate responsibilities and their social impact. Understanding these dynamics is essential for addressing the broader implications of corporate actions on society and governance.

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How do corporations influence European politics today and their social impact?

Summary

Introduction

Key Insights

Conclusion

Sources and full results

Political CSR: The Corporation as a Political Actor

Corporations play a significant role in global governance and international politics, with their products and services also impacting political considerations.

Corporate Social Responsibility, Democracy, and the Politicization of the Corporation

Corporate social responsibility can positively impact democracy through private- and public-sector cooperation, economic theory, and voluntary philanthropy.

The Impact of National Business Cultures on Large Firm Lobbying in the European Union: Evidence from a Large-Scale Survey of Government Affairs Managers

National business cultures significantly influence large firm lobbying in the European Union, with cultural attitudes towards time and power influencing their engagement with policy-makers.

The Political Mobilization of Corporate Directors: Socio-Economic Correlates of Affiliation to European Pressure Groups

Elite university education, club membership, wealth, and multiple directorships are associated with higher propensities to affiliate with European pressure groups like Business for Sterling and Britain in Europe.

Corporate Social Responsibility, Public Policy, and Ngo Activism in Europe and the United States: An Institutional-Stakeholder Perspective

Different institutional structures and political legacies in the US and EU significantly influence government policy, corporate strategy, and NGOs' activism regarding corporate social responsibility.

Judicial Influence on Policy Outputs? The Political Constraints of Legal Integration in the European Union

In the fragmented EU-28, judicial decisions influence social policy outputs, but codification and overriding are unlikely, with modification and nonadoption being political responses to constrain their legislative effect.

The Political Economy of Attitudes toward Polity and Society in Western European Democracies

Economic conditions and political events influence public attitudes towards politics and social change in Western European democracies, but shared beliefs limit the political economy of attitudes.

Multinational Corporations and Politics in Developing Countries

Multinational corporations' influence on politics in developing countries depends on the domestic political system, with key domestic actors' motivations playing a crucial role in determining their impact and countering potential negative impacts.

The European Corporation: Strategy, Structure, and Social Science

European corporations have increasingly followed a US-inspired strategic model, despite differences in ownership, control, and managerial elites, offering a model for adaptive social science in a changing world.

The Communication of Corporate Social Responsibility: United States and European Union Multinational Corporations

European companies communicate corporate social responsibility using both financial and sustainability elements, while U.S. companies focus more on financial justifications.

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