BUSINESS GOVERNMENT RELATIONS:
FRAMING THE ISSUES

CD17 Syllabus                                                                       Course Structure Index
Professor Andrew Procassini


Course Description

The goal of this module is to prepare students for the task of framing trade-related business/ interest group issues for government action.  The framework constructs must translate business and interest group problem perspectives into issues that may be fashioned in a way that they may be effectively addressed by trade officials who negotiate with other governments.  One of the objectives of this course is to develop the student’s ability to prepare an issues management plan that will allow government negotiators to act not only within the international principles and procedures, but also within the limits and goals of domestic policy.  The primary vehicle to accomplish this objective will be the researching and writing of a case for submission to a case research journal.

Course Topics

 The topics do be included are: issues identification; relationship of various supporting and opposing interest groups, business and others; the information needed to provide a clear issues definition with its costs and benefits; influences required to obtain political support; institutions involved in the issue; government departments and agencies involved especially those related to trade negotiations; and finally an implementation of the final settlement.

The topics will also include the objectives and performance measures of the firm and/or industry involved in the trade dispute from the business side.  From the viewpoint of the government negotiators the concepts discussed will include principle of market forces, reciprocity, non-discriminatory action, legitimacy of domestic regulations, national treatment, and orderly adjustments.  Other procedural principles related to transparency, consultation, and dispute settlement are also considered.

 Other aspects of the framework include the involvement of intermediate organizations, i.e. public interest groups, knowledge institutions, unions, etc. that are affected by trade actions.  The class time will be allocated equally to concepts and an actual case.  Consequently the class will tie theory and practice together at each session.

 Required Text

 Text readings are provided within the module class schedule and are to be completed before the assigned date.

 Course Requirements:  The class will research a trade case elected by the instructor for submission to a case research journal.  Each class member will be graded on her/his research contribution to the effort and their attendance and participation in class.

The Class Structure Based on the Six “I’s”:

A Framing Issues Model as Applied to Case Research and Issues Evaluation.

·        Solid lines represent concepts

·        Dotted lines represent class assessments utilizing concepts

 

Schedule / Class / Topic

Class #

Date

Class Topic

1

 

Issues Identification: Identification of significant issues to the firm and the industry.  Relationship to other issues.  Location of issues in the Issues Life Cycle (ILC).  Also, introduction to the class the syllabus and materials for initiating the case research.

2

 

Interests Identification: Supporting interests and their members; opposing interests and their members.  Distribution politics.  Moral and ideological concerns and motivations.  Initial discussion of market forces, domestic policies, national treatment, reciprocity, non-discriminatory treatment and orderly adjustments from an economic viewpoint.

3

 

Information: Assessment of political action with regard to benefits and costs for both supporting and opposing interests.  Political assets/liabilities; bargaining and compromise.  Issues definition and terms for presentation.

4

 

Influence: Lobbying, grass roots campaigns, coalition building, testimony, political entrepreneurship, caucuses,  electoral polling, judicial options, advisory panels.

5

 

Institutions: Scoping the extent of relevant government institutions; determining the responsible government agent and/or agencies.  Determining other supporting government institutions.  Determining supporting non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) and non-interest group (NIG’s) e.g. news media, think tanks, etc., and their effect.  Providing an amended issues framework.  Supporting the negotiating institutional agency.

6

 

Implementation: Procedural principles of transparency, consultation and dispute settlement.  Reaching agreement/treaty/legislation through negotiation; execution of final agreement.

7

 

Integration I: Class will discuss the case being researched and write an initial draft.  The class will separate into teams of 4 persons to write a case for submission to a case research journal.

8

 

Integration II: The class will continue the case draft to semi-final finished form.

9

 

Class will conclude final case write-up.

   Course Structure

The Six “I’s”: A Framing Issues Model

I.          Issues

A.                 Identification and significance in relation to:

1.                  Firm - Objectives; Resources; Capabilities; Management

2.                  Industry - Structure; Conduct; Performance

B.                 Relationship to other issues, market and non-market

C.                Location of issue in the Issues Life Cycle (ILC)

II.          Interests

·                    Supporting interests and their members

·                    Opposing interests and their members

·                    Distribution politics

·                    Moral and ideological concerns and motivations

III.         Information

·                    Assessment of political action with regard to benefits and costs

·                    Supporting Interests - Benefits in terms of magnitude; per members; substitutes

Costs in terms of numbers; political coverage; resources; organization costs

·                    Opposing interests - Benefits and costs in terms of magnitude; per members; substitutes; Costs in terms of numbers; political coverage; resources; organization costs

·                    Political Assets / Liabilities

·                    Opportunities for bargaining and compromise

·                    Issues definition and terms for presentation

IV.        Influences

·                    Lobbying

·                    Grass Roots Campaign

·                    Coalition Building

·                    Testimony

·                    Political Entrepreneurship

·                    Caucuses

·                    Electoral Polling

·                    Judicial Motions

·                    Advisory Panels

V.        Institutions

·                    Scoping the extent of  relevant government institutions

·                    Determining the government’s agent / agency

·                    Determining supporting governmental institutions

·                    Determining the non-government and non-interest group institutions and their effect

·                    Providing an amended issues framework as amended

·                    Support to the negotiating institutional agency

VI.        Implementation

·                    Reaching agreement / treaty / legislation through negotiation

·                    Execution / Legislation of final agreement

Buchholz
Public Issues Management System
           Chap 18

                       Exhibit 18.1 -   Buchholz                 p.565

                       Figure 18.1 -                                  p. 570

                       Exhibit 18.2 -                                  p. 578

                       Exhibit 18.4 -                                  p. 581

                       Figure 18.7  -                                 p. 583

                       Life Cycle -                                     p. 586

Buchholz

Corporate Political Strategies                 Chap. 19

                       Figure 17.1 -   Strategic Mgmt. Model         p. 531

Starling

                       Chapter 4 - Issues Life Cycle -                      p. 177

                       Figure 4 -  Structure of USG Decision Making    p.206               

                       Figure 5.1 -

                       Table 5.2  Political Behavior - Trade War Case  p. 486            

                       Maneuvers for Managing Demands        p. 682

Vernon-Metzel

                       Exhibit 2-1       Environmental Forces   (examples)

Archie Carroll
Stakeholders

                       Figure 1.2        Stakeholder view of firm     p. 9

                       Figure 3.2, 3.4     p. 64-65

                       Figure 7.3        Government Influences on Business & Business
                                               System

Major Independent Regulatory Agencies

                       Figure 7.5        From ITC - 1887 to 1979

Approach to Regulatory Reform

                       Figure 8.1        What lobbyists do for clients       p. 229

                       Figure 19.1      Strategic Issue Management      p. 577

                       Figure 19.3                                                     p. 587

                       Figure 19.4                                                      p. 583

                       Figure 19.5      “ (Forces reading chapter)          p. 585

                       Figure 19.9      Life Cycle                                  p. 591

Goldsmith

                       Table 3.1         Roles of Government                    p. 37

                       Table 3.2         Types of Market Failure                p. 38

                       Table 3.5         Types of Failure due to Stall         p. 52

                       Chapter 8        Business, Interest Groups, & Political Influence

                                                Definition of Public Interest          p. 150

                                                Types of Interest Groups              p. 157

                                                Policy Making in Parliamentary Systems   p. 183

                                                Government   p. 185

                       Chapter 10      Collective Decisions

                                                Iron Triangles         p. 205

                                                Wilson’s Box          p. 223

                                                Anti-trust Policies Overseas    p. 339

 

                                                Technological Lead; US vs. Others         p. 369

                       Figure 17.1      Trade Gap      p. 387

                       Table 17.1       Federal Agencies helping US Trade       p. 407

                       Table 17.2       US Laws                                                    

Marcus

                                                Industry Structure Model   p. 24

                       Exhibit 3.3       Japan vs. US Managers   p. 59

                       Chapter 9        International Trade  p.212 I                                                                           p. 213

                                                Issues Management    p. 215

                                                Free Trade to Against Free Trade  p. 218 & 220

                                                Remedies   p. 221

                                                Company Natural Strengths & Weaknesses   p. 224

                                                Case Motorola / Japan - SIA Semicon Case  p. 233

                       Exhibit 11.7     Corporate Objectives of US vs. Japan Mgrs.

                       Case 11-A       US Memoirs - SIA AAP

                       Exhibit 12.3     O + L, K, T      p. 320

                       Chapter 12      Global Competitiveness

                       Chapter 16      Technology - New Technologies - Industries  p. 481

Perry

                                              Type of Market Failure                              p. 41

                       Chapter 3        Strategic Management of Public Issues

                       Table 3.1         p. 50

                       Figure 3.1        p. 51

                       Figure 3.2        Issues Life Cycle  p. 55

                       Table 3.3         Strategic Issues Management Phase I-SIM  p. 57

                       Table 3.4         Phase II     p. 60

                       Table 3.5         Phase III (six phases)                                 p. 62

                       Figure 4.1        Model of International Competition          p. 101

                       Figure 5.1        International - ____ vs. ___ Issues          

                                                Ideology and Role of Market                     p. 322

Steiner / St.

                                                DFIM Model                                                p. 11  

Bost / F/ Lawrence

                                                Levels of Business Political Involvement p. 253

                                                Special Interests     p. 259

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