definition of term term „lobbying" finds its roots in the gathering of members of parliament...
TRANSCRIPT
PRLOBBYING
SPONSORING
Definition of term
• Term „lobbying" finds its roots in the gathering of Members of Parliament and peers in the hallways ("lobbies") of the UK Houses of Parliament before and after parliamentary debates.
• Allegedly – the term originated at the Willard Hotel in Washington, DC, where it was supposedly used by Ulysses S. Grant (the 18th president of the United States (1869–1877) following his success as military commander in the American Civil War) to describe the political dealers who frequented the hotel's lobby to access Grant—who was often there to enjoy a cigar and brandy—and then try to buy the president drinks in an attempt to influence his political decisions.
Definition of term
OED cites numerous documented uses of the word well before Grant's administration, including in Pennsylvania (1808). The term "lobbying" also appeared in print as early as 1820.
Definition of term – dictionaries (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)
'Lobbying' (also 'lobby') is a form of advocacy with the intention of influencing decisions made by the government by individuals or more usually by lobby groups; it includes all attempts to influence legislators and officials, whether by other legislators, constituents, or organized groups.
A 'lobbyist' is a person who tries to influence legislation on behalf of a special interest or a member of a lobby.
Definition of term – summary definition
Lobbying - is the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies.
Professional lobbyists are people whose business is trying to influence legislation on behalf of a group or individual who hires them. Individuals and nonprofit organizations can also lobby as an act of volunteering or as a small part of their normal job (for instance, a CEO meeting with a representative about a project important to his/her company, or an activist meeting with his/her legislator in an unpaid capacity).
Lobbying is done by many different types of people and organized groups, including individuals in the private sector, corporations, fellow legislators or government officials, or advocacy groups (interest groups).
Lobbying – defined by:
• Nature of lobbyist and the target group of lobbying;
• Goal/purpose of lobbying, what is the nature of these goals
• Way of lobbying
The ethics and morality of lobbying
People with inordinate socioeconomic power are corrupting the law (twisting it away from fairness) in order to serve their own conflict of interest.
Lobbying is making sure that others' interests are duly defended against others' corruption, or even simply making sure that minority interests are fairly defended against mere tyranny of the majority.
Example: For example, a medical association may lobby a legislature in order to counteract the influence of tobacco companies, in which case the lobbying would be viewed by most people as justified (duly defending against others' corruption).
Lobbying in European Union
As of 2003, around 15,000 Brussels-based lobbyists (consultants, lawyers, associations, corporations, NGOs etc.) sought to influence the EU’s legislative process. Some 2,600 special interest groups had a permanent office in Brussels. Their distribution was roughly as follows: • European trade federations (32%)• Consultants (20%)• Companies (13%)• NGOs (11%)• National associations (10%)• Regional representations (6%)• International organizations (5%) • Think tanks (1%),
The most important institutional targets are the Commission, the Council, and the European Parliament.
Functions of lobbying
Lobbying is used to accomplish a number of goals including acquiring government contracts, grants and licenses; accessing natural resources; and influencing policy changes. Lobbyists are frequently divided into four categories:
Contact Specialists: Who use personal connections with politicians and government officials to influence reform.
Process Specialists: Who provide strategic advice on government policy, processes and the bureaucracy.
Policy Specialists: Who are content experts on specific areas of public policy, legislation or government strategy.
Communications Specialists: Who design public relations, polling and issue management campaigns and communicate complicated issues to various publics.
Types of lobbying
• Legislative – used in cases when certain system change is required or a change in long term trend
• Executive lobbying – used in cases when short-term changes are required (appointment into position, sale or purchase, tenders, change of tender conditions, grants)
• Electional and judicial lobbing – „speciality“ US political system. • Electional lobbying – support to raise funds necessary for the campaign• Judicial – goal is to influence precedential court verdicts through which
the nature of the environment of given interest group may change
Types of lobbying
Based on types of lobbyists
• Commercial interest lobbying• Social movement lobbying• Environmental movement lobbying• NGO lobbying• Public administration lobbying
• Similar methods, however usually the commercial interest lobbying is the least trustworthy (study of British Hansard Society in: Parvin 2007: 33), and very often is connected with illegal practice use
Lobbying is frequently divided into two sub-groups:
Direct Lobbying: Lobbying that involves direct contact between an organization, or their representatives, and government decision makers. It includes all tools that enable presentation of interests/information/requests directly at the decision-maker. The tools include private talks, visits, letters, phone calls, invitation to a party, membership in a council, formal visit, presentation in mass media, press conference, demonstration, boycott, strike…
Indirect Lobbying: Lobbying that involves efforts to shape, mobilize, and enlist public opinion, through third parties such as media, interest groups, political parties, in order to influence the policies or priorities of government.
The lobbyist strives to create a situation in which any „third“ party exerts so high level of pressure that makes the recepient of the lobbying act in a way that complies with the intentions of the lobbyist.
Tools: professional associations, foreign network, foreign embassy, science and scientists, celebrities, consultants, acts using the hidden identity.
Grassroots and Grasstops Lobbying
Grassroots lobbying is a communications technique that mobilizes the public to communicate with policymakers by utilizing tactics such as mass letter writing, telephone calls to public office holders, public demonstrations and petitions.
Grasstops lobbying differs from grassroots lobbying in that it mobilizes an elite group of supporters, such as prominent local citizens, to champion issues.
Some government relations experts suggest grassroots and grasstops lobbying are more effective than traditional lobbying. The practice, however, is controversial as policymakers are often unaware they are being lobbied.
Artificially created grassroots and grasstops campaigns are referred to as astroturf.
Astroturfing
Practice of masking the sponsors of a message or organization (e.g. political, advertising, religious or public relations) to make it appear as though it originates from and is supported by grassroots participant(s).
It is a practice intended to give the statements or organizations more credibility by withholding information about the source's financial connection.
The term astroturfing is a derivation of AstroTurf, a brand of synthetic carpeting designed to look like natural grass, a play on the word "grassroots."
The implication behind the use of the term is that there are no "true" or "natural" grassroots, but rather "fake" or "artificial" support.
On the Internet, astroturfers use software to mask their identity. Sometimes one individual operates over many personas to give the impression of widespread support for their client's agenda. Some studies suggest astroturfing can alter public viewpoints and create enough doubt to inhibit action.
Astroturfing
University of Illinois in its study estimated that one-third of all consumer reviews on the Internet are fake.
According to the New York Times, this has made it hard to tell the difference between "popular sentiment" and "manufactured public opinion."
According to an article in the Journal of Business Ethics, astroturfing threatens the legitimacy of genuine grassroots movements. The authors argued that astroturfing that is "purposefully designed to fulfill corporate agendas, manipulate public opinion and harm scientific research represents a serious lapse in ethical conduct.„
Who might be astroturfing
• Pharmaceutical companies may sponsor patient support groups and simultaneously push them to help market their products.
• Bloggers who receive free products, paid travel or other accommodations may also be considered astroturfing if those gifts are not disclosed to the reader.
• Analysts could be considered astroturfing, since they often cover their own clients without disclosing their financial connection.
Astroturfing - history
• Although the term "astroturfing" was not yet developed, an early example of the practice is in Act 1, Scene 2 of Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar.
• In the play, Cassius writes fake letters from "the public" to convince Brutus to assassinate Caesar.
• In the early 1900s a disposable cup vendor convinced travelers to avoid public drinking cups found in trains and shops through a pamphlet called The Cup Campaigner.
• The pamphlet warned that public drinking cups could spread disease and did not disclose that the message was commercially motivated.
• The term "astroturfing" was first coined in 1985 by then-US Senator Lloyd Bentsen when he said, "a fellow from Texas can tell the difference between grass roots and AstroTurf... this is generated mail. Bentsen was describing a "mountain of cards and letters" sent to his office to promote insurance industry interests.
Astroturfing - history
• Although the term "astroturfing" was not yet developed, an early example of the practice is in Act 1, Scene 2 of Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar.
• In the play, Cassius writes fake letters from "the public" to convince Brutus to assassinate Caesar.
• In the early 1900s a disposable cup vendor convinced travelers to avoid public drinking cups found in trains and shops through a pamphlet called The Cup Campaigner.
• The pamphlet warned that public drinking cups could spread disease and did not disclose that the message was commercially motivated.
• The term "astroturfing" was first coined in 1985 by then-US Senator Lloyd Bentsen when he said, "a fellow from Texas can tell the difference between grass roots and AstroTurf... this is generated mail. Bentsen was describing a "mountain of cards and letters" sent to his office to promote insurance industry interests.
Astroturfing - Examples
Phillip Morris
As health advocates began winning legislation to raise taxes and increase regulation of smoking in the US, Philip Morris, Burson-Marsteller and other tobacco interests created the National Smokers Alliance (NSA) in 1993.
The NSA and other tobacco interests initiated an aggressive public relations campaign from 1994 to 1999 in an effort to exaggerate the appearance of grassroots support for smoker's rights. According to an article in the Journal of Health Communication, the NSA had mixed success at defeating bills that were damaging revenues of tobacco interests.
Astroturfing - Examples
Email, automated phone calls, form letters and the Internet made astroturfing more economical and prolific in the late 1990s.
In 2001, as Microsoft was defending itself against an anti-trust lawsuit, Americans for Technology Leadership (ATL), a group heavily funded by Microsoft, initiated a letter-writing campaign. ATL contacted constituents under the guise of conducting a poll and sent pro-Microsoft consumers pre-written letters to send to involved lawmakers.
The effort was designed to make it appear as though there was public support for a sympathetic ruling in the anti-trust lawsuit.
Astroturfing - Examples
• In 2007, Ask.com deployed an anti-Google advertising campaign portraying Google as an "information monopoly" that was damaging the Internet. The ad was designed to give the appearance of a popular movement and didn't disclose it was funded by a competition.
• As President Barack Obama drew attention to the issue of global warming in 2009, research from the Pew Research Centre found that front groups like the Heartland Institute created hesitation among constituents about global warming by distributing materials that cast doubt on the consensus among the scientific community.
• In September 2012, one of the first major identified case of astroturfing in Finland involved criticisms about the cost of a €1.8 billion patient information system, which was defended by fake online identities operated by involved vendors.
Astroturfing techniques
Front groupsTerm used to refer to a group set up and controlled by another group, often by a controversial fringe movement, cult, corporate or political party.
• Front groups may resist legislation and scientific consensus that is damaging to the sponsor's business by emphasizing minority viewpoints, instilling doubt and publishing counter-claims by corporate-sponsored experts (smoking).
• Fake blogs can also be created that appear to be written by consumers, while actually being operated by a commercial or political interest.
• Some political movements have provided incentives for members of the public to send a letter to the editor at their local paper, often using a copy and paste form letter that is published in dozens of newspapers.
Astroturfing techniques
Sockpuppets
A sockpuppet is an online identity used for purposes of deception. The term—a reference to the manipulation of a simple hand puppet made from a sock—originally referred to a false identity assumed by a member of an [Internet]] community who spoke to, or about, himself while pretending to be another person.
The term now includes other misleading uses of online identities, such as those created to praise, defend or support a person or organization, or to circumvent a suspension or ban from a website. A significant difference between the use of a pseudonym and the creation of a sockpuppet is that the sockpuppet poses as an independent third-party unaffiliated with the puppeteer. Many online communities attempt to block sockpuppets
Sockpuppets may post positive reviews about a product, attack participants that criticize the organization, or post negative reviews and comments about competitors, under fake identities.
Astroturfing techniques
Sockpuppets
An Amazon.com computer glitch in 2004 revealed the names of many authors who had written reviews of their books using pseudonyms.
John Rechy, who wrote the best-selling 1963 novel City of Night, was one of the more famous authors unmasked in this way, and was shown to have written numerous five-star reviews of his own work.
Sponsoring
Sponsorship is a cash and/or in-kind fee paid to a property (typically in sports, arts, entertainment or causes) in return for access to the exploitable commercial potential associated with that property.
While the sponsoree (property being sponsored) may be nonprofit, sponsorship is done with the expectation of a commercial return.
While sponsorship can deliver increased awareness, brand building and propensity to purchase, it is different to advertising. Unlike advertising, sponsorship can not communicate specific product attributes. Nor can it stand alone, as sponsorship requires support elements.
Donation - A donation is a gift given by physical or legal persons, typically for charitable purposes and/or to benefit a cause. A donation may take various forms, including cash offering, services, new or used goods including clothing, toys, food, and vehicles. It also may consist of emergency, relief or humanitarian aid items, development aid support, and can also relate to medical care needs as i.e. blood or organs for transplant.
Donation
Sponsoring
Theories of sponsorship
Wide range of psychological and communications theories have been used to explain how commercial sponsorship works to impact consumer audiences.
• Most use the notion that a brand (sponsor) and event (sponsoree) become linked in memory through the sponsorship and as a result, thinking of the brand can trigger event-linked associations, while thinking of the event can come to trigger brand-linked associations.
• Extensive review of theories explaining commercial sponsorship effort - Cornwell, Weeks and Roy (2005).
One of the most pervasive findings in sponsorship is that the best effects are achieved where there is a logical match between the sponsor and sponsoree, such as a sports brand sponsoring a sports event. Work by Cornwell and colleagues however, has shown that brands that don't have a logical match can still benefit, at least in terms of memory effects, if the sponsors articulates some rationale for the sponsorship to the audience.
Sponsoring
Sponsoring activities of companies
https://www.kb.cz/cs/o-bance/o-nas/spolecenska-odpovednost/sponzoring/index.shtml
http://www.koop.cz/o-nas/sponzoring/
Sponzoring trochu jinak
http://www.ceskatelevize.cz/vse-o-ct/reklama/sponzoring/