VideoEconTalk

How the Constitution Can Bring Us Together

Yuval Levin with Russ Roberts, 2024

https://www.econtalk.org/how-the-constitution-can-bring-us-together-with-yuval-levin/

What It Is: A 2024 EconTalk podcast conversation between host Russ Roberts and Yuval Levin (American Enterprise Institute), built around Levin's book American Covenant, arguing that the Constitution's design — competition, federalism, the Electoral College, bicameralism — is meant to let a divided society "act together" without requiring everyone to think alike.

Why It Matters: Levin's central reframe offers a broad perspective on the U.S. Constitution as incorporating dilemmas that are never fully resolved, where unity means acting together on a case-by-case basis. He argues that constitutional structures deliberately constrain majorities to protect minority interests. Useful in considering the Responsibility Principle and support for constitutional democracy.

How to Use It: Listen to or read the transcript ahead of internal conversations about polarization or civic-engagement messaging, as a values-neutral primer on why democratic institutions are structured the way they are — useful context before wading into more contested reform debates.

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401 – 420 of 424 results showing

WebsiteGlobal Reporting Initiative

Global Reporting Initiative(GRI) Standard 415: Public Policy

2016

Summary of voluntary standard on reporting public policy management approach, including political contribution disclosures as is certified by the Global Reporting Initiative.

ReportNew America

POST-MAP-ASK: Towards a more Democratic, Modern Lobbying Process

Lee Drutman/Christine Mahoney, 2016

This report from the New America Foundation’s political reform program advocates for a voluntary public database that tracks the political positions and papers of advocacy groups, making it easier to track who is advocating for what when it comes to critical policy debates, demystifying the lobbying process.

ArticleNegotiation Journal

Toward a Theory of Negotiation Precedent

Larry Crump, 2016

This article examines how past negotiations, or precedents, shape current negotiations by guiding strategy and providing tested solutions, while also potentially constraining new thinking. It offers practical insights for managers on how to create, apply, and navigate precedents effectively to influence outcomes.

ToolUnited Nations Global Compact

Business for Rule of Law Framework

2015

Seeks to advance the rule of law by engaging responsible business to support the building and strengthening of legal frameworks and accountable institutions – serving as a complement to, not substitute for, government action.

ArticleBrookings Institution

Do Managers Have a Role to Play in Sustaining the Institutions of Capitalism?

Rebecca Henderson & Karthik Ramanna, 2015

This article advocates for and examines the role of managers in weighing corporate political responsibility with traditional shareholder primacy when lobbying. Builds a strong case and suggests that companies consider whether the public is informed or has the necessary expertise.

ReportFCLT

Perspectives on the Long-term

D. Barton, M. Wiseman, L. Fink, R. Edelman, H. Paulson, L. Rothschild, N. Carr, N. Nohria, P. Polman, W. MacMillan, G. Page, C. Kochhar, K. McLaughlin, D. McMillon, A. Orr, J. Rogers, L. Chow Kiat, E. Munro, C. Tilley, L. Zhang, M. Sabia, J. Gorman, et al, 2015

Dominic Barton, Mark Wiseman, Laurence Fink, Richard Edelman, Henry M. Paulson Jr., Lynn Forester de Rothschild, Nicholas Carr, Nitin Nohria, Paul Polman, Whitney MacMillan, Greg Page, Chanda Kochhar, Kathleen McLaughlin, Doug McMillon, Adrian Orr, John D. Rogers, Lim Chow Kiat, Euan Munro, Charles Tilley, Lei Zhang, Michael Sabia, James P. Gorman, David Walker, Angel Gurría, Ronald P. O’Hanley, Donald Kaberuka, Julie Hembrock Daum, Edward Speed, Angelien Kemna

This report compiles insights from CEOs, investors, and regulators emphasizing how quarterly earnings pressure and misaligned incentives restrict long-term strategic thinking, and it proposes governance reforms to realign business purpose with sustainable, multi-stakeholder value creation.

ReportTransparency International Ireland

Responsible Lobbying: A Short Guide to Ethical Lobbying and Public Policy Engagement for Professionals, Executives and Activists

2015

Lays out core principles—transparency, integrity, accountability, and effectiveness—with practical examples to help professionals and organizations engage in ethical and responsible lobbying.

ArticleOxford

A Market Failures Approach to Business Ethics

Joseph Heath, 2014

This chapter introduces a “market failures” approach to business ethics, arguing that while profit is a core obligation, businesses also have a duty to avoid exploiting legal or structural gaps in the market in order to preserve trust, fair competition, and long-term legitimacy.

Article KPMG

A New Vision of Value: Connecting Corporate and Societal Value Creation

KPMG, 2014

This report explores two potential disconnects between corporate cash flows and value creation: Positive externalities where companies are not fully rewarded for the value they create for society, and negative externalities where they do not pay the full costs of production (but "externalize" some costs to society.)

By offering a simple method for conceptualizing these two types of externalities, the authors show how businesses can be prepared for three forces that will likely drive them toward internalization: regulation, stakeholder pressures, or market realities. This can provide a guide for companies to identify their long-term interests in policies that align business value with societal value.

ArticleStrategy + business

Does your Company Keep its Promises?

Elizabeth Doty, 2014

This article links corporate political responsibility to a company’s broader ability to uphold commitments to customers, employees, investors, and communities—which are critical to building and maintaining trust. It summarizes research that shows that, despite the best of intentions, companies often struggle to keep track of their commitments and coordinate to fulfill them. It goes on to offer seven practical strategies to avoid gaps between word and deed, and help companies sustain critical relationships and reputation.

ToolUN Global Compact

Guide for Responsible Corporate Engagement in Climate Policy 

2013

This 60-page report elaborates on the “how” of engaging in meaningful climate policy engagement. Illustrative examples spanning the globe are grounded by five core elements of responsible policy engagement and three key actions to put said elements into practice.

BookHarvard University Press

The Fracturing of the American Corporate Elite

Mark Mizruchi, 2013

Advances the argument that American CEOs, seemingly more powerful today than ever, have abrogated the key leadership role they once played in addressing national challenges, with grave consequences for American society.

ReportUN

UN Guiding Principles on Business & Human Rights

2011

Widely accepted multi-sector framework outlining expectations for companies to evaluate and disclose their commitment to human rights, identify salient issues, identifying processes for responding to claims, conducting due diligence and identifying strategies to prevent, mitigate or remediate adverse impacts on individuals and communities. Supports corporate political responsibility by outlining political rights as human rights, and providing established processes to draw on.

ReportHeritage Foundation

Cronyism: Undermining Economic Freedom & Prosperity Around the World

2010

This article outlines how crony capitalism distorts the market, violates the principles of free markets, and risks value creation for all, as reflected in the Heritage Foundation's Index of Economic Freedom.

ReportTransparency International's Global Corruption Report

Corrupting the Rules of the Game: From Legitimate Lobbying to Capturing Regulations and Policies

Dieter Zinnbauer, 2009

What It Is: An early analysis in Transparency International's 2009 Global Corruption Report, examining the line between legitimate corporate lobbying — an accepted input to democratic decision-making — and lobbying that captures regulations and policy for private benefit.

Why It Matters: The report backs its argument with striking figures: politically connected firms are estimated to account for nearly 40% of market capitalization in the UK and 80% in Russia; roughly 2,500 lobbying organizations and 15,000 lobbyists compete for influence in Brussels alone; and US state-level lobbying spending averages $200,000 per legislator, with five lobbyists vying for each lawmaker's attention. Outlines the importance of considering Legitimacy of lobbying efforts, and Responsibility not to crowd out other voices."

How to Use It: Use this chapter's distinction between legitimate lobbying and policy capture as a discussion input when running a Public Affairs Governance Review with Third Side Strategies' Principled Influence Guide — particularly Step Two's policy assessment — to help sharpen the language in your Public Affairs Engagement Policy defining where advocacy ends and undue influence begins.

ArticleSSIR

Lobbying for Good

Peterson/Pftizer, 2009

Outlines a framework to help companies determine how to engage with social issues and an appropriate level of engagement—ranging from supporter to champion—describing the key to an effective engagement plan that integrates functional silos, all bolstered by compelling case studies.

ReportUN Environmental Programme

A legal framework for the integration of environmental, social and governance issues into institutional investment

Freshfields, 2005

This seminal report from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, addresses the question of whether institutional investors such as pension funds and insurance companies are legally permitted to integrate environmental, social and governance issues into their investment decision-making and ownership practices. The study describes the legal framework for institutions in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, the UK and the US.

ReportAccountAbility, UN Global Compact

Towards Responsible Lobbying

Simon Zadek, 2005

This guide provides a framework for companies and NGO's to use to determine whether their lobbying practices are responsible.

BookBerrett Koehler

Walking the Talk

Charles Holliday, Jr., Stephan Schmidheiny, Philip Watts, 2002

The book opens by establishing the minimum expectation that businesses support the right rules of the game—those rewarding long-term value creation rather than destruction—and shows how companies can live their values through cross-sector collaboration, eco-efficiency, and strategies advancing prosperity, planet, and people, supported by real-world cases.

BookHarvard University Press

The Logic of Collective Action: Public Goods and the Theory of Groups

Mancur Olson, Jr., 1971

Mancur Olson’s classic work explains why individuals often fail to organize effectively around shared interests, even when collective action would benefit all. His “free rider” problem and distinction between small and large groups reshape understanding of labor unions, corporations, and political coalitions. Olson’s framework underlies modern theories of governance, lobbying, and institutional design—key foundations for Corporate Political Responsibility.

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