Public Forces and Private Politics in American Big Business [Paperback]

Examines the nature and process of private policymaking in US firms and how this interacts with public policymaking.A rigorous examination of the politics of corporate social responsibility in the United States. Through the use of case studies and interviews with 'Fortune 500' company executives, this book shows how politics affect American firms' choices, even in the wake of the 20072009 financial crisis.A rigorous examination of the politics of corporate social responsibility in the United States. Through the use of case studies and interviews with 'Fortune 500' company executives, this book shows how politics affect American firms' choices, even in the wake of the 20072009 financial crisis.What are the political motivations behind firms' decisions to adopt policies that self-regulate their behavior in a manner that is beyond compliance with state, federal and local law? Public Forces and Private Politics in American Big Business advances a new understanding of the firm as a political actor that expands beyond the limited conceptualizations offered by economists and organization theorists. Timothy Werner develops a general theory of private politics that is tested using three case studies: the environment, gay rights and executive compensation. Using the conclusions of these case studies and an analysis of interviews with executives at 'Fortune 500' firms, Werner finds that politics can contribute significantly to our understanding of corporate decision-making on private policies and corporate social responsibility in the United States.1. Introduction; 2. The firm as political actor and a theory of private policymaking; 3. Unveiling the public roots of private policymaking; 4. The public, the state, and corporate environmentalism; 5. Public opinion and gay rights in the workplace; 6. Total executive compensation and regulatory threat; 7. Conclusion; Appendix: data sources and variable measurement by chapter.'How is it that big business in the US has become both lƒ'