Comparing Business and Public Interest Associability at the International Level

In: International political science review: the journal of the International Political Science Association (IPSA) = Revue internationale de science politique, Band 23, Heft 2, S. 175-186

Abstract

The increasing importance of globalization has made representation in international arenas more important. Yet key factors affecting associability of business and public interest groups at that level are markedly different from those which apply at the level of the nation-state. This article will argue that the "privileged position of business" does not obtain at the transnational level, and that business frequently prefers the national route. ngos, on the other hand, enjoy greater influence international than they do at the national level, essentially because of the ways in which they can assist international organizations to overcome their governance deficits. Examining sectors such as chemicals and biotechnology, this article explores the factors affecting associability at the international level and suggests some consequences which follow from these observations for the development of policy in international arenas.