Business, Politics and Public Policy: Implications for Inclusive Development

`This is a farsighted and agenda-setting volume that provides both rich, insightful case studies and an overarching and integrating theoretical framework for understanding business engagement in policy making. It is important reading for scholars of policy making and business as well as anyone concerned with promoting social welfare and equality.'---Ben Ross Schneider, Professor of Political Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA

`Examining the relationship between large firms and government in developing and transition countries, this volume avoids the simplicities of much debate on globalization and development. The contributions demonstrate how, under appropriate conditions, the inevitable political influence of large firms can be prevented from undermining inclusive development. Business, Politics and Public Policy shows that UNRISD is an international leader in the analysis and empirics of the impact of corporate social responsibility.'---E.V.K. FitzGerald, Head of Department, Oxford Department for International Development, University of Oxford, UK

Globalization and liberalization have profoundly altered power relations, institutional arrangements and business strategies that historically engaged business as a partner in social development. In today's developing and transitional economies, can we expect organized business interests to support social and other public policies conducive to inclusive development? Does the rise of big business facilitate or undermine this objective? Through conceptual and historical analysis, as well as case studies from Brazil, Chile, India, Mexico, Peru, Russia and South Africa, this book examines the predominant means by which corporate interests directly and indirectly influence social, labour market and development policy, the reasons for their positions and the scope of their influence.

Jose Carlos Marques is a former Research Analyst in the Markets, Business and Regulation Programme at the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD).
Peter Utting is Deputy Director and Co-ordinator of the Markets, Business and Regulation Programme at the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD).