Business-Managed Democracy

Business-Managed Government

Policy Planning Groups

Business groups are able to set agendas and influence government policy via policy planning and advisory groups. Such groups are set up to help governments make policy and are sometimes established by or with the help of business people and even funded by businesses.

National Civic Fed. Conference Board CFR CED ALEC Business Council Overlaps Interconnections Britain and Australia

Policy planning or discussion groups are useful to corporations because they provide a forum where corporate executives can:

• ‘familiarise themselves with  general policy issues’
• discuss conflicts about the best strategies and policies out of the public eye
• observe potential members of their inner circle and select appropriate academic experts for  promotion within the policy networks and into government service.
• gain legitimacy as policy experts rather than representing vested interests
• inform upcoming policy experts from academia about corporate goals and expectations
• participate in the setting of government policy.