With a lot of Help from their Friends: Explaining the Social Logic of Informational Lobbying in the European Union

TY - JOUR

T1 - With a lot of Help from their Friends: Explaining the Social Logic of Informational Lobbying in the European Union

AU - Chalmers, Adam William

PY - 2013/12/1

Y1 - 2013/12/1

N2 - This article examines the informational advantages of interest group networking strategies and how these relate to the provision of policy-relevant information to EU decision-makers. Interest groups obtain a great deal of policy-relevant information through their network connections. In particular, weak tie networks are strong in terms of information sharing among network members. Well-informed groups are best positioned to provide much needed information to EU decision-makers and to thus influence the EU policy-making process. Using original survey and interview data, this article tests the extent to which weak tie strategies help interest groups provide information to the Commission, Parliament and Council. A central finding of this article is that strong ties, rather than weak ties, grant the most important informational advantages.

AB - This article examines the informational advantages of interest group networking strategies and how these relate to the provision of policy-relevant information to EU decision-makers. Interest groups obtain a great deal of policy-relevant information through their network connections. In particular, weak tie networks are strong in terms of information sharing among network members. Well-informed groups are best positioned to provide much needed information to EU decision-makers and to thus influence the EU policy-making process. Using original survey and interview data, this article tests the extent to which weak tie strategies help interest groups provide information to the Commission, Parliament and Council. A central finding of this article is that strong ties, rather than weak ties, grant the most important informational advantages.

U2 - 10.1177/1465116513482528

DO - 10.1177/1465116513482528

M3 - Article

SN - 1465-1165

VL - 14

SP - 475

EP - 496

JO - EUROPEAN UNION POLITICS

JF - EUROPEAN UNION POLITICS

IS - 4

ER -