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Organization of interest groups
Insight into the internal organization of interest groups is crucial for understanding their representative function and intermediary role in contemporary democracies. The particular organizational features of groups shape their ability to fulfill their potential as “transmission belts” between society and the state. Given these important repercussion of organizational choices, it is not surprising that decisions about the specific mission of the organization, the type of members, and their precise role in decision-making processes are often strongly contested when a new interest group is being established. Once these choices have been made, however, an organization’s mission and structure tend to be rather inert and mostly evolve in a path-dependent, incremental manner (Fraussen, 2014).
This chapter defines interest groups as membership-based formal...
Show moreInsight into the internal organization of interest groups is crucial for understanding their representative function and intermediary role in contemporary democracies. The particular organizational features of groups shape their ability to fulfill their potential as “transmission belts” between society and the state. Given these important repercussion of organizational choices, it is not surprising that decisions about the specific mission of the organization, the type of members, and their precise role in decision-making processes are often strongly contested when a new interest group is being established. Once these choices have been made, however, an organization’s mission and structure tend to be rather inert and mostly evolve in a path-dependent, incremental manner (Fraussen, 2014).
This chapter defines interest groups as membership-based formal organizations, who seek to represent the interests of a particular constituency or advocate for a particular cause in the political arena. This chapter first clarifies the importance of the internal organization of interest groups and subsequently addresses the use and value of different group typologies. The last two sections focus on clarifying feature- and identity-based approaches for identifying variation in organizational form and explore how digital technologies might alter the organizational design of interest groups and how they conceive and involve their constituency.
Show less- All authors
- Fraussen, B.
- Editor(s)
- Harris, P.; Bitonti, A.; Fleisher, C.S.; Binderkrantz, A.
- Date
- 2020
- Title of host publication
- The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Interest Groups, Lobbying and Public Affairs
- ISBN (electronic)
- 9783030138950