Assessing the EO’s Advocacy Capacity
Purpose
The advocacy capacity audit in some respects is a checklist of things for the EO ‘to do’ to occupy a policy space effectively and exert influence. This Audit is intended to:
- Outline current time and resources spent by the EO on the policy area under review.
- Scope how those resources could be deployed in a different fashion to increase policy impact and what resources the EO may need in order to play a more effective policy role.
- Assist an EO in making recommendations on its organizational structures.
- Identify deficiencies or areas to strengthen in the EO’s role. This could be a lack of consultation on a policy area of major importance to business. Gaps in information the EO should be providing to its members.
- Identify issues and enquire on additional relevant information which would help an EO decide whether further action needs to be taken (i.e. could be a deficiency in the EO’s role but current situation externally or internally makes it impossible to rectify).
How to use this tool
- The audit should be conducted by an external consultant and consist of interviews with key EO office-bearers such as the Director General/President/Treasurer and senior staff.
- The audit will assist in getting a deeper view of the EO’s role in the policy area under review. Alternatively the audit can be used as a self assessment tool by EOs themselves.
- The audit consists of a list of questions to ascertain the EO’s engagement in the policy under consideration.
Step 1: Analysis of the EO's Advocacy capacity
EOs need to generate specific policy recommendations based on a real analysis of the constraints on enterprises; however, actually formulating specific policy responses that can address the issues the EO has identified requires both creativity and expertise in policy analysis.
1.1 Ability to influence
The EO's approach to advocacy is predicated on its desire to change the status quo. It wants government to carry out a policy in a different way. It wants in simple terms change. An EO's ability to effect change will be predicated on its ability to influence change agents.
Policy influencing is the process by which stakeholders make their needs known on key issues prior to action taken by the policy-makers, with the aim of initiating changes in policy, practices, and procedures. To galvanize the needed change, advocates must influence potential change agents.
To influence policy-making, the perception of a wrong is not enough. If public policy is to be a solution, the wrong must be defined as one that policymakers can address.
Effective advocacy, requires a clear vision of the desired outcomes; a thorough understanding of the particular issue being addressed; the ability to prepare evidence-based policy proposals; and the opportunity to meet with and persuade policy-makers of the EO's case.
Methods of influencing consist of:(1)
- Demonstrating technical expertise;
Presenting thorough and clearly-researched arguments that make a case for policy change. - Exhibiting professional integrity;
Demonstrating a professional approach at all times so as to maintain credibility in the eyes of those the EO is seeking to influence. - Using assertive persuasion;
Having an ability to be a 'persuader for policy change' and possessing the ability to present a case in ways that government can both empathize with and potentially support. - Developing a common vision;
Bringing together into a collective position all the views – sometimes competing – of the EO's membership into a common vision for a given policy choice. - Using participation and trust;
By comprehensively testing policy arguments and by respecting relationships that the EO has developed with government in order to use those relationships to push for policy change. - Using tension and anxieties
When necessary, putting public pressure on government to move towards the EO's position but in such a fashion that seeks to maintain existing relationships.
In these endeavours the EO should:
- Be 100 per cent clear on the policy it wants changed or implemented.
- Comprehend fully the EO's ability to impact and how its proposal will be perceived by government. If the EO is respected as an organization with a track record of presenting empirical arguments – whether the government likes it or not – then it does not have to make a virtue of its research efforts for every proposal – it is assumed.
- Be cognizant that influencing goes both ways: government (or other stakeholders) will want to influence the EO's position.
- Be receptive and open (and be seen to be so) to other points of view and arguments on the given policy the EO wants to affect. Seek areas of common ground – no matter how small – as they help build momentum in other more contentions areas.
- Maintain relationships even where the EO has a very strong argument with those opposed to its proposals; resist the opportunity to embarrass the other stakeholder. The situation may be reversed in the future.
Effective influencing requires a combination of interpersonal, communication, presentation, negotiation and assertiveness techniques. It above all requires the EO to proffer solutions and be a force for positive change.
The starting point for an EO is to assess its position vis à vis its principal interlocutor – government. How is it viewed? Is it a serious representative of business interests? The assessment questions below can assist an EO in that analysis.
EO ADVOCACY CAPACITY AUDIT | ||
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Does the EO have a formal position(s)? (e.g., written policy; previous public statement, public letter) |
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Yes/No |
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Is it a priority issue for members? |
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Is the issue a time-bound one for the EO? |
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Does the EO have an appropriate organizational structure to conduct advocacy activities? |
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How engaged has the EO’s board been on the issue? |
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Does the EO have a policy committee of members? |
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What has the EO done to advocate this position? |
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Government Departments/agencies the EO interacts with |
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Rank the relationship (of each department/agency) |
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Government Departments/agencies the EO does not interact with and the reasons why. |
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Scope for increased interaction/Collaboration |
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Does the EO fully utilize the existing access opportunities to make representations to the government on its policy concerns? |
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Policy work |
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What impact has the EO had over last three years? |
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Number of professional staff working in this policy space. |
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What is the time spent by the EO as a whole responding to direct membership queries in this policy space? |
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What is the time spent by the EO as a whole responding to direct services in this policy space? |
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What is the time spent by the EO on policy development? |
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What is the time spent by the EO on government bodies? |
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Is members’ expertise effectively used for policy work? | For example:
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Additional financial resources spent on issue in last 12 months |
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Does the EO receive government assistance? |
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Is there scope for such funding? |
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Do you receive any regional or international donor assistance? |
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Is there scope for such funding? |
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Which partners does the EO work with in this policy space? |
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Is there scope to deepen partnerships listed above? |
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Is there scope for new partnerships? |
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What chargeable services does the EO offer? | List all | Revenue as percentage of overall of income per annum. |
In terms of demand are these services? |
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Contact with media contacts |
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Is there scope for an increased EO role in this policy space? |
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(1) Kubr, 1993.
(2) Center for International Private Enterprise: How to advocate effectively: a guidebook for business associations, 2006.