| Lobbyism and public affairs | Código: M0.758 Créditos: 6 |
Success at lobbying depends in good measure on the ability to communicate persuasively and convincingly, to the relevant decision-makers, at the adequate time and with the right allies.
This course intends to provide students with the working knowledge and tools to learn how to lobby ethically and effectively.
Lobbyism and public affairs is one of the subjects that students can choose to complete the 18 optional ECTS credits that make up the University Master's Degree in Corporate Communication, Protocol and Events.
Lobbying is popularly understood as the activity of trying to persuade or pressure a public authority to support laws or rules that favour an organisation, a group or an individual. Lobbying has an important function in our democracies, despite its bad press. Citizens, individually or through interest groups, have the democratic right to interact with authorities to present their views on public decisions. Lobbying can inform public decision-makers with valuable insights and data while it tries to exert influence on policy-making at all levels.
The main areas in which graduates of this master's degree may go on to develop careers are communications departments, institutional relations, public relations agencies, and agencies specializing in lobbying and public affairs.
It is strongly recommended to have completed all (or at least most) of the compulsory subjects of the master before taking this optional subject.
The subject is taught in English, but it is not the level of English that is evaluated in it.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
- Develop a strategic relations plan with the public authorities
- Design a lobbying campaign in line with the objectives of the organization
- Understand the fundamentals of lobbying by learning first-hand about national and international lobbying case studies from different sectors: corporate, non-profit and public.
SKILLS:
- Efficient communication, integrating complex ideas and defending them persuasively.
- Strategic planning, leadership and implementation of corporate communication plans.
- Analysis of communicative weaknesses and strengths of an organization for the design of strategic proposals based on the segmentation of publics.
- Analysis of how political structures operate, and how they can be influenced.
- Ability to strategically use lobbying and public affairs techniques in the political, business and governmental worlds.
- Implementation of established research techniques in the field of lobbying and public affairs in an ethical manner.
- Development and defense of corporate communication projects that include the four phases of strategic planning: research, planning, execution and evaluation.
Module 1. Lobbying and Interest Groups
1.1. Lobbying and Lobbyists
1.1.1. Typology
1.2. Interest Groups
1.2.1. Concept
1.2.2. Elements
1.2.3. Typology
1.3. Lobbying and Public Affairs in a Democracy: Legitimacy
1.4. The Role of the Press: Agenda-Setting
1.5. Think Tanks, Public Relations and Lobbying
1.6. The Business of Lobbying: Consultancies, Professionals and Deontology
Module 2. Strategic Relations with Public Authorities: The Communication Planning Process of RPIE (Research, Planning, Implementation and Evaluation)
2.1. Research
2.1.1. Strategic Research and Analysis
2.1.2. Sources
2.1.3. New Research Tools: Big Data and Artificial Intelligence.
2.2. Planning. Identifying and Defining:
2.2.1. Objectives
2.2.2. Target Groups
2.2.3. Messages
2.2.4. Timing
2.3. Implementation
2.3.1. Main Tools and Techniques
2.3.2. Social Media in Lobbying Campaigns
2.4. Evaluation
Module 3. Comparative Lobbying, Campaign Finance and Fund-Raising
3.1. The European Union
3.1.1. Brief History
3.1.2. Lobbying the European Union's Main Institutions and Bodies
3.1.3. The EU's Ordinary Legislative Procedure: Co-Decision
3.1.4. Regulation of Lobbying. The European Transparency Register
3.2. Lobbying in Spain: Regulation and Practice
3.2.1. The Transparency Law. Regional and Sectoral Transparency Regulation.
3.3. Transparency in European Countries. An Overview.
3.4. Lobbying in the United States.
| Material | Soporte |
| Entrevista Francesc Bellavista | Audiovisual |
| Entrevista Barbara Morales | Audiovisual |
| Entrevista Antoni Torras | Audiovisual |
| Entrevista Ignasi Centellas | Audiovisual |
| MU Comunicació Corporativa, Protocol i Esdeveniments. Casos | Web |
| MU Comunicación corporativa, protocolo y eventos. Casos. | Web |
| Estudi de cas. El Motí d'Aranjuez, una festa amb identitat pròpia | Web |
| Estudio de caso. El Motín de Aranjuez, una fiesta con identidad propia | Web |
Complemenary materials and information about support tools will be provided through the Resources and Message Board section.
- Bitonti, A.; Harris, P. (eds.) (2017). Lobbying in Europe. Public Affairs and the Lobbying Industry in 28 EU Countries. Palgrave Macmillan.
- Harris, P.; Fleisher, C. S. (eds.) (2017). The SAGE Handbook of International Corporate and Public Affairs. London: Sage Publications.
- Lovejoy, K.; Saxton, G. D. (2012). "Information, Community, and Action: How Non-profit Organizations use Social Media". Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication.
- Obar, J. A.; Zube, P.; Lampe, C. (2012). "Advocacy 2.0: An analysis of how advocacy groups in the United States perceive and use social media as tools for facilitating civic engagement and collective action". Journal of Information Policy.
- OECD (2012). Lobbyists, Governments and Public Trust, Volume 2. Promoting Integrity through Self-regulation. OECD Publishing. France.
The learning methodology of this course is based on the work that has to be developed by each continuous assessment activity. This continuous assessment is a perfect strategy integrated in the learning process, conceived as a mechanism to learn and give reciprocal feedback.
La Normativa académica de la UOC dispone que el proceso de evaluación se fundamenta en el trabajo personal del estudiante y presupone la autenticidad de la autoría y la originalidad de los ejercicios realizados.
La falta de originalidad en la autoría o el mal uso de las condiciones en las que se hace la evaluación de la asignatura es una infracción que puede tener consecuencias académicas graves.
Se calificará al estudiante con un suspenso (D/0) si se detecta falta de originalidad en la autoría de alguna actividad evaluable (práctica, prueba de evaluación continua (PEC) o final (PEF), o la que se defina en el plan docente), ya sea porque ha utilizado material o dispositivos no autorizados, ya sea porque ha copiado de forma textual de internet, o ha copiado de apuntes, de materiales, manuales o artículos (sin la citación correspondiente) o de otro estudiante, o por cualquier otra conducta irregular.
La calificación de suspenso (D/0) en la evaluación continua (EC) puede conllevar la obligación de hacer el examen presencial para superar la asignatura (si hay examen y si superarlo es suficiente para superar la asignatura según indique este plan docente).
Cuando esta mala conducta se produzca durante la realización de las pruebas de evaluación finales presenciales, el estudiante puede ser expulsado del aula, y el examinador hará constar todos los elementos y la información relativos al caso.
Además, esta conducta puede dar lugar a la incoación de un procedimiento disciplinario y la aplicación, si procede, de la sanción que corresponda.
La UOC habilitará los mecanismos que considere oportunos para velar por la calidad de sus titulaciones y garantizar la excelencia y la calidad de su modelo educativo.
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La asignatura solo puede aprobarse con el seguimiento y la superación de la evaluación continua (EC). La calificación final de la asignatura es la nota obtenida en la EC. |
Nota final de asignatura: EC
This subject can only be passed through a Continuous Assessment (CA). The final mark on the continuous assessment will be the final mark for the subject. The subject's accreditation formula is as follows: CA
This subject can only be passed through a Continuous Assessment (CA). The final mark on the continuous assessment will be the final mark for the subject. The subject's accreditation formula is as follows: CA
ETHICAL CODE The UOC Academic Regulations stipulate that the evaluation process is based on the student's personal work and presupposes the authenticity of the authorship and the originality of the exercises carried out. The lack of originality in the authorship or misuse of the conditions under which the evaluation of the subject is carried out is an offense that can have serious academic consequences. The student will be qualified with a fail (D / 0) if there is a lack of originality in the authorship of any continuous assessment activity (CAA), either because it has been copied textually from the Internet, course notes or materials, handbooks or articles (without the corresponding citation) or from another student, or by any other irregular behavior. On the other hand, this behavior can lead to the initiation of a disciplinary procedure and the application, where appropriate, of the corresponding sanction. The UOC will enable the mechanisms it deems appropriate to ensure the quality of its degrees and guarantee the excellence and quality of its educational model.
After the deadline for delivering each Continuous Assessment Activity (CAA), the consultant will provide students with a solution to the exercise through the Message Board. He or she will post the grade for each student on the Assessment Register and a personal commentary.