"Beyond the established dichotomy: An inductive investigation into the lobbying strategies of firms operating in the EU and the US"

Modern interest group literature has lifted the veil on lobbying strategies and in particular the strategic choice of firms, consultancies, NGOs, and other organisations who seek to achieve political influence. Previous attempts to extend the inside/outside lobbying dichotomy have deepened our understanding of strategic choice, but in a post pandemic world, there is room for a further investigation of lobbying strategy and the development of a holistic categorization of lobbying tactics. This paper seeks to focus on the strategic choice of firms, with particular focus on multinational enterprises (MNEs) operating in multiple jurisdictions. The paper develops a holistic categorisation of lobbying strategy that extends beyond and builds upon the inside and outside lobbying dichotomy. Focusing on MNEs that operate and lobby in the US and the EU, this paper utilises semi-structure elite-interviews to inductively investigate the strategic choices of firms and develop a new categorization of lobbying strategies. The result is a greater understanding of who is lobbied, at what time, through what form of communication, via market or non-market forces, and in what jurisdiction to maximise influence of key policy areas.