Lobbying Influence -- The Role of Money, Strategies and Measurements

TL;DR

This paper investigates how financial resources and strategies affect lobbying influence, using survey and document data from Swiss energy policy stakeholders to compare different influence measures.

Contribution

It provides an empirical analysis of the relationship between money, strategies, and influence in lobbying, highlighting differences across influence measures.

Findings

Financial resources predict influence across measures.

The relationship between money and influence varies by measure.

Indirect effects reveal mechanisms translating resources into influence.

Abstract

Comparing the results for preference attainment, self-perceived influence and reputational influence, this paper analyzes the relationship between financial resources and lobbying influence. The empirical analysis builds on data from an original survey with 312 Swiss energy policy stakeholders combined with document data from multiple policy consultation submission processes. The results show that the distribution of influence varies substantially depending on the measure. While financial resources for political purposes predict influence across all measures, the relationship is positive only for some. An analysis of indirect effects sheds light on the potential mechanisms that translate financial resources into influence.