Gun Control and Gun Rights: A Conceptual Framework for Analyzing Public Policy Issues in Technical and Professional Communication

Abstract Although corporate social responsibility (CSR) has gone “mainstream,” the relationship between CSR and corporate political activities (CPA) has received little scholarly attention. This is problematic because firms potentially have a more sizable impact through their lobbying activities for socially and environmentally beneficial (or unbeneficial) public policies than through their own operations. This paper investigates if, and how, UN Global Compact signatory firms differ in their policy preferences on key EU proposals compared to other interest groups. To capture state-of-the-art data on firms’ policy preferences, I draw from the INTEREURO database, which includes firms’ lobbying positions on forty-three directives and twenty-seven regulations covering 112 public policy issues in the European Union. Statistical results show that Global Compact signatory firms significantly lobby for stricter regulation than non-signatory firms and industry associations, however, their positions are still lower than nonbusiness groups. These results are similar across various public policy issues and suggest that the regulatory preferences of firms’ participating in soft law CSR initiatives are more aligned with stakeholders' interests. This paper contributes to public policy literature exploring the relationship between hard and soft law as well as literature studying the political representation of divergent interest.

Download Full-text

Composing Like an Entrepreneur: The Pedagogical Implications of Design Thinking in the Workplace

Journal of Technical Writing and Communication ◽

10.1177/00472816211031554 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 004728162110315

Author(s):

Mason Pellegrini

Keyword(s):

Design Thinking ◽

Web Design ◽

Professional Communication ◽

Business Success ◽

Current State ◽

Composing Process ◽

State Of Research ◽

Design Firms ◽

Fierce Competition ◽

Technical And Professional Communication

Fierce competition has made innovation increasingly necessary for business success, and this has increased the importance of user-based innovation strategies like design thinking (DT). While many studies in technical and professional communication (TPC) have explored how DT can be used pedagogically, no studies have done this through investigating how DT is used as a workplace composing process. This study does exactly that. First, it presents the current state of research on pedagogical uses of DT in TPC, and then it builds upon those suggestions with an empirical study that chronicles on how two web design firms use DT to make websites. My main suggestion is to teach DT as a recursive process that allows students transcend potentially incorrect assumptions built into design tasks through gathering data not only from users, but from clients as well.

Download Full-text

On Defining Politics and How to Take it into Account

News for Teachers of Political Science ◽

10.1017/s0197901900004207 ◽

1983 ◽

Vol 37 ◽

pp. 13-13

Author(s):

Avery Leiserson

Keyword(s):

Public Policy ◽

Social Science ◽

Common Ground ◽

Public Affairs ◽

The Political ◽

Political Aspect ◽

Policy Issues ◽

Elective Office ◽

Teachers And Students

This essay addresses the problem of teachers and students who have reached the point of trying to find a common ground for perceiving (seeing) politics. This may occur almost any time during any social science course, but it cannot be assumed to happen automatically the first day of class in government, citizenship, or public affairs. Hopefully, the signal is some variant of the question: “What do we mean by politics, or the political aspect of human affairs?” A parade of definitions — taking controversial positions on public policy issues; running for elective office; who gets what, when and how; and manipulating people—is not a mutually-satisfying answer if it produces the Queen of Hearts’ attitude in students that the word politics means what they choose it to mean and nothing more.

Download Full-text

Control of Fraud and Abuse in Medicare and Medicaid

American Journal of Law & Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0098858800005268 ◽

1977 ◽

Vol 3 (3) ◽

pp. 323-331

Author(s):

Harvey E. Pies

Keyword(s):

Public Policy ◽

Health Programs ◽

Effective Control ◽

Appropriate Use ◽

Public Funds ◽

Policy Issues ◽

Government Financing ◽

Executive Action ◽

Federal Initiatives ◽

Near Future

AbstractThis Comment explores issues concerning the control of fraud and abuse in health programs financed with public funds, specifically the Medicare and Medicaid programs. It summarizes the nature, scope, and possible causes of what some regard as a fraud and abuse “crisis,” and points out the difficulties and obstacles facing those who attempt to develop legislative and executive action aimed at controlling fraud and abuse. Recent federal initiatives in fraud and abuse control are examined, and a brief summary of key provisions of H.R. 3 (the Medicare-Medicaid Anti-fraud and Abuse Amendments, which may prove to be a landmark piece of legislation in this area) is provided. The author emphasizes that more effective control of fraud and abuse is necessary if further expansion of government financing of health programs, including national health insurance, is to occur in the near future. At the same time, caution must be taken not to neglect the appropriate use of other mechanisms necessary for reducing the costs of medical care and improving its quality. In addition, it is likely that efforts to stem fraud and abuse will raise important medicolegal and public policy issues that will require careful interdisciplinary consideration.

Download Full-text