Why do you engage in policy influencing activities?

The results ?? are out!

Many thanks to all of you who engaged in the poll for exploring why you / your organisation engages in policy influencing activities as part of?#AdvocacyWednesday.

Almost 70% of respondents replied that they engaged in policy influencing activities "to shape the policy agenda", almost a quarter of you said "to influence attitudes", and a small number responded "to build a coalition".

Of course, there is no right or wrong answer to this #AdvocacyWednesdays poll, and it reflects the diversity and background of respondents - and where we are located on the policy influencing continuum ??. However, the results do align with how we conceptualise?#policy?#influencing?activities, i.e., in terms of:

a) Long-term?#outcomes?(with so called 'tipping points' such as a change in policy or legislation) and,

b) Intermediate outcomes (such as 1. shaping the policy agenda, 2. influencing policymaker attitudes and behaviour, and 3. building a momentum / coalition).

Policy influencing approaches

Another post from #FunFactFridays stimulated debate about the four different elements of policy influencing, specifically, the matrix depicted in the image above, (adapted from Start and Hoveland, 2004). Whilst this matrix captures the four major areas of policy influencing well, it perhaps does not fully account for the nuances we experience as practitioners in #publicaffairs.

For example, whilst activism is certainly interest / values-based, it would be difficult to argue that climate-based activism is not evidence / science-based (given all the evidence for climate change).

Likewise, advocacy is located closer to the 'confrontation / outside track' on the matrix, whereas many of you may have engaged in advocacy activities that appeal to policymakers' interests and positions (rather than conflicting with them), and therefore, advocacy would be categorised closer to the 'cooperation / inside track'.

Finally, as pointed-out by an astute peer in the comments section of the aforementioned #FunFactFriday post, whilst lobbying is certainly considered 'interest-based', lobbyists cannot argue their case to policymakers empty-handed. They must do so equipped with evidence and scientific justification, and therefore, lobbying would also be considered as 'evidence / science-based'.

Context, evidence, and links

This point about evidence, and how it fits into the broader policy influencing ecosystem deserves further discussion, and it can be seen within the 'context, evidence, and links' framework (CELF), as described by Crewe and Young (2002). This framework combines multiple influencing factors that are divided into three areas: (a) the political context; (b) the evidence, and how it is communicated, and (c) the links between the different actors involved, as shown in the figure below.

Start and Hoveland argued that this framework can be used to help practitioners understand the role that evidence-based research plays in influencing policy. The four elements of the framework provide the practitioner with detailed information related to a) policy windows, b) key policy actors and networks, c) gaps in existing evidence, d) alternative means of communication and e) trends and changes in the external environment.

So what does this mean for public affairs practitioners?

My take on this is that making full use of such a tool (the CELF) would be a significant investment in time and resources for the average practitioner, however it does provide a helpful way to develop or frame the strategy for our policy influencing activities. I consider this framework (and many similar types of frameworks, methods, and tools), to be particularly helpful in supporting strategy and planning discussions for organisations engaging in policy influencing activities. For example, as part of establishing and using a monitoring and evaluation framework to help track policy influencing #KPIs, demonstrate #ROI for public affairs activities, and meet strategic advocacy #objectives.

That said, there is still much more to be explored on this topic, and I'd very much like to hear your thoughts, perspectives, and opinions to enrich the discussion. As such, please like, follow, and comment to stay engaged in the discussion!

If you're interested in learning more about PoliSante, please visit our website and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Likewise, if you're interested in why we should invest in measuring our success ?? in policy influencing, watch this 1 min video ?? to find out more!

For more information on how to use the tools frameworks described above, feel free to reach out to [email protected]

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