(U1) L4 Implementing Non-Market Strategies

Overview of Lesson 4

Lesson 2 provided a parsimonious framework that can be used to assess an issue and its likely resolution in the context of diverse and competing stakeholder interests. This lesson considers various strategies that may be used to influence likely issue resolution. Non-market strategic alternatives depend upon the various 'forums' in which a diversity of stakeholders may engage in order to affect issue resolution. And the predominant forum for non-market interaction will evolve with progress through the issue lifecycle.

What depends on it? depends, in turn, on the stage of the issue life the resolution of issues .

A forum is defined by the set of institutional features, both formal and informal, that govern stakeholder interaction. The forum within which stakeholders engage over an issue will change as the issue evolves through its lifecycle. At early stages, stakeholders in an issue may engage with one another directly. Later, an issue may advance into a more formal, public political phase, wherein stakeholders may attempt to influence an issue within the constraints of a formal legislative, regulatory, or legal framework.  The various forums can be distinguished according to the tactical opportunities available to stakeholders and the role of the media.

At the end of this lesson, you will:

• be able to list the four kinds of forums within which stakeholders engage one another in order to affect non-market issues
• be able to specify the sequence of forums through which an issue may proceed as it evolves through the non-market issue life cycle
• be able to describe the role of the media in each of the non-market forums (i.e., how the media affects interaction between the stakeholders.)

I'm leaning toward moving everything below this comment to a new page. Does that work for you?

Types of Forums:

There are four basic types of forums. Three of these are referred to as public political because the outcomes within these forums affect the public as a whole (at least in principle, even if many out comes are of no interest to large portions of the public in practice.) They include thelegislative forum, which refers to stakeholder engagements that occur leading up to the establishment of new laws. The regulatory forumrefers to stakeholder engagements intended to affect rule promulgation and implementation. And the judicial forum refers to stakeholder engagements within the court system.

The private political forum refers to stakeholder engagements intended to affect an issue that is not being engaged within a public political forum. Traditional and new social media may be used by individuals and groups to influence strategies/tactics chosen by other issue stakeholders, thereby affecting the impact of the issue on their own group's interests. Does this mean that the private political forum is the title of the forum itself, unlike the public political forums, which have sub-categories?

Forums can be described by the actions and strategies available to issue stakeholders. Actions and strategies available to stakeholders are a result of the institutional constraints that describe each forum. For example, if an issue is being resolved in the court system, stakeholders are prohibited from interacting with the jury. Strategies for stakeholder engagement will also depend upon the informational regime (TOO JARGONY) unique to each forum. For example, courts will solicit the advice of expert witnesses whereas legislators will invite input from lobbyists. And the media plays a different role in each forum.

Is this a new subheading? -- Private Political Action --

Between the asterisks seem to be notes--or is this something we'll be filling out later?

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These strategies are a result of the Forums are also distinguished by the rules constraining stakeholder participation in a particular forum, And finally, role ... [predominant stakeholders, typical actions, role of media]

There are four different types of forums.

An issue in the private political forum refers to issues for which stakeholders attempt to influence the resolution of an through direct interactions a

e.g. Shell Brent Spar, 

The private political forum refers to the set of stakeholder interactions that 

An issue in the private political forum is one that refers to those interactions that are (not mediated by government).  

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Forums are the venues in which issues are resolved.  Resolution of issues is governed by the institutions characterizing the forum in which they are considered.

Non-market issues have the potential to evolve though various stages, which can be understood as a life cycle. Once an issue is identified, interest goups often form based upon their interests in potential outcomes. Some issues will evolve to a legislative stage, where law makers are lobbied to address the issue. Issues resulting in legislation will eventually be administered through a regulatory framework. And finally, in cases where there are disputes over application of that regulatory framework, interested parties may seek enforcement through the regulatory framework and the court system. [Baron Ch.1, p.13-16] This seems to be the same as the information above. Are these your earlier notes?

what is a forum:

Non-Market Action Life Cycle

The term "forums" refers to the venues in which a diversity of stakeholders engage in order to affect the resolution of an issue of interest. For example, early in the 'life' of an issue, when it is just emerging, stakeholders may engage with one-another primarily though private "political" interactions.

Stakeholders may engage with one another directly, through "private political action." And stakeholders may attempt to affect an issue through "public political action" by petitioning legislators, regulators, or the judiciary to resolve an issue in their favor. The predominant forum for issue engagement will change as it evolves though the issue life cycle (see Lesson 1, "The non-market environment"--I can link to the particular section here. Which page would you like?). And stakeholders will adjust their roles and strategies to be most effective within / congruent with the constraints and opportunities afforded within each new forum. played and strategies played by the various stakeholders will evolve change with the evolving forum.

Stakeholder Changes over the Life Cycle

Stakeholders develop strategies to pursue their interests, which are typically in conflict with the interests of other stakeholders.  Stakeholders' perceptions of how an issue affects their interests is determined by their information environment.  This information environment is determined, most directly, by the news media.  More indirectly, academic institutions also affect the information environment.  Importantly, within an informational environment Stakeholders can attempt to influence an issue by shaping the...something here?

There are several different types of stakeholder groups: individuals, advocacy groups, businesses, academia, media, and government, among others. (or should we hold-aside media and academia?)

Stakeholders may attempt to influence an issue through private political strategies and/or public political strategies.

The issue forum depends upon the stage in the issue life cycle in which an issue is: (Something here?

Stakeholders may find different strategies for influence differ across forums : (Something here?

North [1990] [We'll need the full reference for this to put at the bottom of the page] describes institutions as “the rules of the game in a society or … constraints that shape human interaction. In consequence, they structure incentives in human exchange, whether political, social, or economic.” Institutions can be formal or informal. Formal institutions refer to the codified rules that govern interaction.  Informal institutions refer to the customs and commonly-accepted practices that govern interaction.  For example, {…} An example will be good here. In my head, I see the connection between institutions as in businesses/bureaucracies that have such rules, and institutions as sets of rules, but I think it would be easy to get lost there, just because folks are so used to referring to "institutions" as the businesses/organizations.

There are four basic forums for resolving non-market issues:  Private politics (the court of public opinion), the public legislative forum, the public regulatory forum, and the public judicial forum. This seems the same as above. Was this part of your earlier notes?