Corporate Political Strategy and Legislative Decision Making: A Review and Contingency Approach

Abstract

This paper attempts to provide a theoretical basis for determining effective corporate political strategies. The strategies considered are the five most commonly used by politically active firms: constituency building, political action committee contributions, advocacy advertising, lobbying, and coalition building. Relevant literature is reviewed and an exchange model of legislative decision making is developed. A contingency approach to the selection of appropriate strategies is derived from the model and a typology of legislative decision situations.