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The relationship between NGOS and businesses in the public arena: An empirical analysis for Spain
Author(s) -
Valor Carmen,
Merino Amparo
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of public affairs
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.221
H-Index - 20
eISSN - 1479-1854
pISSN - 1472-3891
DOI - 10.1002/pa.309
Subject(s) - legitimacy , argument (complex analysis) , corporate social responsibility , public relations , public policy , political science , public administration , sociology , law , politics , biochemistry , chemistry
At the beginning of this century, corporate social responsibility was included in the public agenda. In certain countries, policy‐making takes place in semi‐public forums, in which NGOs are asked to participate. However, a different situation may be found in other countries. This paper analyses the relationship between businesses and NGOs in the public arena in Spain. By applying grounded theory, the authors summarize this relationship in the dynamics of approach‐withdrawal. Firms have pushed to withdraw Advocacy NGOs from public forums, whose main purpose was policy‐making. The explicit argument to justify this collective decision is the lack of foundational legitimacy of NGOs. Firms understand that these NGOs are not legitimized to be a counterbalancing force of corporations. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.