2015/12/22 by Erik Lundberg, Erik Hysing · 1 citation
Business, Management and Accounting · Social Sciences · #Nonprofit Sector and Volunteering #Political Influence and Corporate Strategies #Public Policy and Administration Research
paper · doi:10.1111/1467-9477.12056
openalex publication_date 2015/12/22 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Consulting interest groups is commonplace in the preparation of policies by democratic governments. It is often assumed that interest groups participate in consultations primarily for the purpose of influencing policy. This article goes beyond this simplified claim and empirically explores the role of consultations from the vantage point of interest groups. Drawing on the Swedish formalized referral process known as the ‘remiss procedure’ the article shows that interest groups not only participate in consultations in order to effectively change the policy proposal under consideration, but they also use the output of the process in other venues for policy influence, such as direct political contacts and opinion making, and to establish themselves, or maintain their status as legitimate actors in the eyes of the government. In addition, the remiss procedure appears to be intertwined with the groups’ own ‘internal life’, promoting the development and anchorage of policy positions within the organizations. These insights are important for further understanding the promises, as well as the perils, of public consultation.