IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/jbuset/v143y2017i4d10.1007_s10551-016-3077-y.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Industry Business Associations: Self-Interested or Socially Conscious?

Author

Listed:
  • José Carlos Marques

    (University of Ottawa)

Abstract

The number and scale of business associations focused on corporate responsibility and sustainability has grown dramatically in recent decades and they are becoming influential actors in both national and international governance. Yet surprisingly little research exists on such organizations and recognition of the organizational lineage they share with special interest groups is yet to be examined—are industry business associations merely lobbies for their members’ own interests or are they viable self-regulatory institutions capable of addressing contemporary social and sustainability issues? This paper identifies and reviews fragmented insights from literatures that address this question. Drawing on various streams of research within the political science, economics and management disciplines that provide diverse lenses on the phenomenon of business associations, it juxtaposes and groups them into two broad perspectives: business associations as special interest groups that are detrimental to society (“peril”); business associations as self-regulatory institutions capable of addressing contemporary challenges (“promise”).

Suggested Citation

  • José Carlos Marques, 2017. "Industry Business Associations: Self-Interested or Socially Conscious?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 143(4), pages 733-751, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:143:y:2017:i:4:d:10.1007_s10551-016-3077-y
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-016-3077-y
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10551-016-3077-y
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10551-016-3077-y?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lyon,Thomas P. & Maxwell,John W., 2004. "Corporate Environmentalism and Public Policy," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521819473.
    2. Brasher Holly & Lowery David, 2006. "The Corporate Context of Lobbying Activity," Business and Politics, De Gruyter, vol. 8(1), pages 1-25, April.
    3. Rob van Tulder & Ans Kolk, 2001. "Multinationality and Corporate Ethics: Codes of Conduct in the Sporting Goods Industry," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 32(2), pages 267-283, June.
    4. Thomas Lawton & Steven Mcguire & Tazeeb Rajwani, 2013. "Corporate Political Activity : A Literature Review and Research Agenda," Post-Print hal-02312913, HAL.
    5. Bonardi, Jean-Philippe & Holburn, Guy & Vanden Bergh, Rick, 2006. "Nonmarket performance: Evidence from U.S. electric utilities," MPRA Paper 14437, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Héritier, Adrienne & Eckert, Sandra, 2009. "Self-Regulation by Associations: Collective Action Problems in European Environmental Regulation," Business and Politics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 11(1), pages 1-22, April.
    7. Kim Jin-Hyuk, 2008. "Corporate Lobbying Revisited," Business and Politics, De Gruyter, vol. 10(2), pages 1-25, September.
    8. Jonathan P. Doh & Thomas Lawton & Tazeeb Rajwani, 2012. "Advancing Nonmarket Strategy Research : Institutional Perspectives in a Changing World," Post-Print hal-02276718, HAL.
    9. Jonathan P. Doh & Terrence R. Guay, 2006. "Corporate Social Responsibility, Public Policy, and NGO Activism in Europe and the United States: An Institutional‐Stakeholder Perspective," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(1), pages 47-73, January.
    10. Krueger, Anne O, 1974. "The Political Economy of the Rent-Seeking Society," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 64(3), pages 291-303, June.
    11. George J. Stigler, 1971. "The Theory of Economic Regulation," Bell Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 2(1), pages 3-21, Spring.
    12. Wilson, Graham K., 1990. "Corporate Political Strategies," British Journal of Political Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 20(2), pages 281-288, April.
    13. Héritier Adrienne & Eckert Sandra, 2009. "Self-Regulation by Associations: Collective Action Problems in European Environmental Regulation," Business and Politics, De Gruyter, vol. 11(1), pages 1-24, April.
    14. Schuler, Douglas A., 2012. "A club theory approach to voluntary social programs: Multinational companies and the extractive industries transparency initiative," Business and Politics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 14(3), pages 1-24, October.
    15. Daniel Berliner & Aseem Prakash, 2014. "The United Nations Global Compact: An Institutionalist Perspective," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 122(2), pages 217-223, June.
    16. Mäkinen, Jukka & Kourula, Arno, 2012. "Pluralism in Political Corporate Social Responsibility," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 22(4), pages 649-678, October.
    17. Gerry Boucher & Grainne Collins, 2003. "Having One's Cake and Being Eaten too: Irish Neo-liberal Corporatism," Review of Social Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 61(3), pages 295-316.
    18. Spillman, Lyn, 2012. "Solidarity in Strategy," University of Chicago Press Economics Books, University of Chicago Press, number 9780226769561, September.
    19. Prakash Aseem & Griffin Jennifer J., 2012. "Corporate responsibility, multinational corporations, and nation states: An introduction," Business and Politics, De Gruyter, vol. 14(3), pages 1-10, October.
    20. Alessandro Pizzorno, 1978. "Political Exchange and Collective Identity in Industrial Conflict," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Colin Crouch & Alessandro Pizzorno (ed.), The Resurgence of Class Conflict in Western Europe since 1968, chapter 11, pages 277-298, Palgrave Macmillan.
    21. Brasher, Holly & Lowery, David, 2006. "The Corporate Context of Lobbying Activity," Business and Politics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 8(1), pages 1-23, April.
    22. Michael J. Lenox, 2006. "The Role of Private Decentralized Institutions in Sustaining Industry Self-Regulation," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 17(6), pages 677-690, December.
    23. David P. Baron & Daniel Diermeier, 2007. "Strategic Activism and Nonmarket Strategy," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 16(3), pages 599-634, September.
    24. Kim, Jin-Hyuk, 2008. "Corporate Lobbying Revisited," Business and Politics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 10(2), pages 1-23, August.
    25. Mena, Sébastien & Palazzo, Guido, 2012. "Input and Output Legitimacy of Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 22(3), pages 527-556, July.
    26. Buchanan, James M, 1987. "The Constitution of Economic Policy," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 77(3), pages 243-250, June.
    27. Doner Richard F. & Schneider Ben Ross, 2000. "Business Associations and Economic Development: Why Some Associations Contribute More Than Others," Business and Politics, De Gruyter, vol. 2(3), pages 1-29, December.
    28. Prakash, Aseem & Griffin, Jennifer J., 2012. "Corporate responsibility, multinational corporations, and nation states: An introduction," Business and Politics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 14(3), pages 1-10, October.
    29. Amable, Bruno, 2003. "The Diversity of Modern Capitalism," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199261147.
    30. Prakash,Aseem & Potoski,Matthew, 2006. "The Voluntary Environmentalists," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521860413.
    31. Djelic, Marie Laure & den Hond, Frank, 2014. "Introduction: multiplicity and plurality in the world of standards," Business and Politics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 16(1), pages 67-77, April.
    32. Prakash,Aseem & Potoski,Matthew, 2006. "The Voluntary Environmentalists," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521677721.
    33. Lijphart, Arend & Crepaz, Markus M. L., 1991. "Corporatism and Consensus Democracy in Eighteen Countries: Conceptual and Empirical Linkages," British Journal of Political Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 21(2), pages 235-246, April.
    34. Vogel, David, 1987. "Political Science and the Study of Corporate Power: A Dissent from the New Conventional Wisdom," British Journal of Political Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 17(4), pages 385-408, October.
    35. Doner, Richard F. & Schneider, Ben Ross, 2000. "Business Associations and Economic Development: Why Some Associations Contribute More Than Others," Business and Politics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 2(3), pages 261-288, November.
    36. Frank Hond & Kathleen A. Rehbein & Frank G. A. Bakker & Hilde Kooijmans-van Lankveld, 2014. "Playing on Two Chessboards: Reputation Effects between Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Corporate Political Activity (CPA)," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(5), pages 790-813, July.
    37. David P. Baron & Daniel Diermeier, 2007. "Introduction to the Special Issue on Nonmarket Strategy and Social Responsibility," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 16(3), pages 539-545, September.
    38. McFarland, Andrew S., 1991. "Interest Groups and Political Time: Cycles in America," British Journal of Political Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 21(3), pages 257-284, July.
    39. Vogel, David, 1983. "The Power of Business in America: A Re-appraisal," British Journal of Political Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 13(1), pages 19-43, January.
    40. Jacob S. Hacker & Paul Pierson, 2002. "Business Power and Social Policy: Employers and the Formation of the American Welfare State," Politics & Society, , vol. 30(2), pages 277-325, June.
    41. S. Prakash Sethi, 2011. "Self-Regulation through Voluntary Codes of Conduct," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: S. Prakash Sethi (ed.), Globalization and Self-Regulation, chapter 1, pages 3-14, Palgrave Macmillan.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Berkowitz, Heloise, 2019. "An ontology of meta-organization: Variations in attributes, functions and profiles," OSF Preprints kc4a3, Center for Open Science.
    2. Aruna Jha & Vijita Singh Aggrawal, 2019. "Institutional pressures for corporate social responsibility implementation: a study of Indian executives," Social Responsibility Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 16(4), pages 555-577, June.
    3. Héloïse Berkowitz & Antoine Souchaud, 2019. "(Self-)Regulation of Sharing Economy Platforms Through Partial Meta-organizing," Post-Print hal-02528015, HAL.
    4. Gladys Lee & Xinning Xiao, 2020. "Voluntary Engagement in Environmental Projects: Evidence from Environmental Violators," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 164(2), pages 325-348, June.
    5. Heloise Berkowitz & Antoine Souchaud, 2019. "(Self-)Regulation of Sharing Economy Platforms Through Partial Meta-organizing," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 159(4), pages 961-976, November.
    6. Héloïse Berkowitz & Nils Brunsson & Michael Grothe-Hammer & Mikaela Sundberg & Bertrand Valiorgue, 2022. "Meta-Organizations: A Clarification and a Way Forward," Post-Print hal-03685386, HAL.
    7. Anna Lašáková & Anna Remišová & Ľubica Bajzíková, 2021. "Differences in Occurrence of Unethical Business Practices in a Post-Transitional Country in the CEE Region: The Case of Slovakia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-33, March.
    8. Vanessa Prieto-Sandoval & Andres Mejia-Villa & Carmen Jaca & Marta Ormazabal, 2022. "The Case of an Agricultural Crop Business Association in Navarra as Circular Economy Intermediary," Circular Economy and Sustainability,, Springer.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ziad F. Elsahn & Maureen Benson-Rea, 2018. "Political Schemas and Corporate Political Activities During Foreign Market Entry: A Micro-process Perspective," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 58(5), pages 771-811, October.
    2. Rajwani, Tazeeb & Liedong, Tahiru Azaaviele, 2015. "Political activity and firm performance within nonmarket research: A review and international comparative assessment," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 50(2), pages 273-283.
    3. Adelino, Manuel & Dinc, I. Serdar, 2014. "Corporate distress and lobbying: Evidence from the Stimulus Act," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 114(2), pages 256-272.
    4. Woon Leong Lin, 2018. "Do Firm’s Organisational Slacks Influence the Relationship between Corporate Lobbying and Corporate Financial Performance? More Is Not Always Better," IJFS, MDPI, vol. 7(1), pages 1-23, December.
    5. Thomas M Maak & Nicola M Pless & Christian Voegtlin, 2016. "Business Statesman or Shareholder Advocate? CEO Responsible Leadership Styles and the Micro-Foundations of Political CSR," Post-Print hal-01480535, HAL.
    6. Richard W. Carney & Sadok El Ghoul & Omrane Guedhami & Jane W. Lu & He Wang, 2022. "Political corporate social responsibility: The role of deliberative capacity," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 53(8), pages 1766-1784, October.
    7. Lily Hsueh, 2020. "Expanding the multiple streams framework to explain the formation of diverse voluntary programs: evidence from US toxic chemical use policy," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 10(2), pages 111-123, June.
    8. Marie-Laure Salles-Djelic & Helen Etchanchu, 2015. "Contextualizing Corporate Political Responsibilities: Neoliberal CSR in Historical Perspective," Post-Print hal-01891961, HAL.
    9. Marie-Laure Salles-Djelic & Helen Etchanchu, 2015. "Contextualizing Corporate Political Responsibilities: Neoliberal CSR in Historical Perspective," SciencePo Working papers Main hal-01891961, HAL.
    10. Barkemeyer, Ralf & Preuss, Lutz & Lee, Lindsay, 2015. "On the effectiveness of private transnational governance regimes—Evaluating corporate sustainability reporting according to the Global Reporting Initiative," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 50(2), pages 312-325.
    11. Baron, David P., 2011. "Credence attributes, voluntary organizations, and social pressure," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 95(11), pages 1331-1338.
    12. Anna-Lena Maier, 2021. "Political corporate social responsibility in authoritarian contexts," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 4(4), pages 476-495, December.
    13. Lynn Bennie & Patrick Bernhagen & Neil J. Mitchell, 2007. "The Logic of Transnational Action: The Good Corporation and the Global Compact," Political Studies, Political Studies Association, vol. 55(4), pages 733-753, December.
    14. David P. Baron, 2010. "Morally Motivated Self-Regulation," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 100(4), pages 1299-1329, September.
    15. Marie-Laure Djelic & Helen Etchanchu, 2017. "Contextualizing Corporate Political Responsibilities: Neoliberal CSR in Historical Perspective," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 142(4), pages 641-661, June.
    16. Marie-Laure Djelic & Helen Etchanchu, 2015. "Contextualizing Corporate Political Responsibilities: Neoliberal CSR in Historical Perspective," Sciences Po publications info:hdl:2441/4u6bdim0o89, Sciences Po.
    17. Cosmina Lelia Voinea & Hans Kranenburg, 2018. "Feeling the Squeeze: Nonmarket Institutional Pressures and Firm Nonmarket Strategies," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 58(5), pages 705-741, October.
    18. Shirodkar, Vikrant & Rajwani, Tazeeb & Stadler, Christian & Hautz, Julia & Mayer, Michael C.J., 2022. "Corporate Political Activity and Firm Performance: The Moderating Effects of International and Product Diversification," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 28(4).
    19. Hui Chen & David Parsley & Ya-Wen Yang, 2015. "Corporate Lobbying and Firm Performance," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(3-4), pages 444-481, April.
    20. Baron, David P., 2008. "Managerial contracting and corporate social responsibility," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(1-2), pages 268-288, February.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:143:y:2017:i:4:d:10.1007_s10551-016-3077-y. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.