The SAGE Handbook of International Corporate and Public Affairs

This global handbook covers the whole international scene in public affairs and communication in policy matters. It is the first Public Affairs book to cover all the major continents and give in-depth insights and guidance on business, government policy and international trade communication. The breadth of authors is of the highest quality and it will make a substantial contribution to the development of dialogue between nations and businesses worldwide.

Harris and Fleisher have produced a substantial update to their groundbreaking Handbook of Public Affairs. No second look required to know upfront that this work will be seen soon on bookshelves in executive offices and on prominent scholar´s  desks and certainly be a requirement in classrooms around the world. This fine work reflects the massive changes that have occurred in the political arena, the growing challenges for the corporate boardroom and consequently the public, just to mention the unparalleled impact of social media today and the extension of PA practice to China and other nations on the rise.

In this increasingly important, but under-examined field, no other collection of material comes close to giving such a comprehensive view of the development of public affairs research, teaching and practice. Drawing on the leading researchers and practitioners around the world this volume brings the reader up to date on the multifaceted and increasingly integrated world of global public affairs, including a detailed analysis of its conceptual evolution, current functioning, and projected developments, by country and region. It is the bible for practitioners, researchers and observers of the field of an organisation's relationship with its social and political publics.

Since the 1980s public affairs has evolved from being perceived as a subject that is little more than a policy oriented sub-field of public relations to a body of knowledge that is essential for understanding the public policy process and the various influences on policy and corporate discourse. Contemporary globalisation processes and changes in the understanding of governance in public, private and hybrid organisations go hand-in-hand with recognition of the essential nature of public affairs management. As the editors suggest, most businesses, government agencies, media, and NGOs have a stake, especially in democracies and emerging democracies, in cultivating a dialogue that is informed, fact driven, timely, responsive and progressive. The Sage Handbook of International Corporate and Public Affairs is an essential companion to such a dialogue, offering a rich account of the development of the field as well as its applications, and will be welcomed by students of the subject for years to come.

This handbook is great!  As our profession continues to evolve it is critical that lobbyists and public affairs professionals have all the information and tools at their disposal.  This handbook is another one of those resources all professionals should have sitting on their desk – I know I do."

The decade since the SAGE Handbook was first published has seen the greatest revolution in communications in human history. Yet the task of the public affairs professional remains the same: getting the right message, to the right audience, in the right way at the right time. The new Handbook provides essential reading and analysis for practitioners, potential clients and academics. It will also help politicians, public officials and the media to better understand that corporate and public affairs are not  black arts; but prudent tools of good governance for those determining or being affected by the decisions of government at every level. This, together with examining the impact of both new technologies and greater transparency on the delivery of client services makes the new edition very much a practitioners " Bible" for hands both old and new

This is an incredibly timely book that explores the global phenomena of public affairs in a way that answers the naive superficiality of the anti-lobbying narrative. It provides both theoretical and practical examples to illustrate both the impact of new technologies, such as that of social media, as well as the long-standing imperatives of managing the boundaries between government and business. The volume itself exploits the often overly-policed zones that purport to protect individual disciplinary perspective and, by doing so, provides student, scholar and practitioners alike with valuable insights into the world of public affairs management.

This is the book and guide on international Public Affairs that every businessman, politician and practitioner must have. It gives comprehensive coverage of this critical world skill and includes many of the leading figures worldwide. The text not only covers America and Europe, which the earlier Handbook did, but includes quality coverage of Asia, Africa and Latin America. This is the book for the international public affairs practitioner or trade negotiator

Phil Harris and Craig Fleisher provide a combination of academic and practitioner “smarts” that drive this remarkable book which is an essential read for a wide range of audiences.  They have gathered together in this edited volume of scope and substance, a cadre of authors with impeccable credentials as thought leaders to inform the new realities of public affairs. The balance of theory and practice within and across chapters promotes the development of new knowledge, more critical thinking by practitioners, and direct applicability of the information.  The field of public affairs has grown immensely in rigour, depth of knowledge, and breadth of application. In particular, its use by government policy makers has changed the focus of nation “soft marketing”, and corporate public affairs has transformed and professionalized its approach to issues management.  The book is extremely timely and comprehensive in terms of international perspectives and topic coverage. Specifically, the integration of the field with others, such as marketing, information sciences, politics, and the hard sciences is novel and insightful. This approach will promote the needed cross-discipline fertilization so critical to next-stage development of the field and effective strategies for practitioners.

This Handbook aims at readers who practice or train for Public Affairs (PA) or Public Affairs Management (PAM). Phil Harris and Craig Fleisher, as editors, bring together thirty expert essays that demonstrate remarkable applications of this field over recent years. They also include six specific case studies situated in Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America. These show why it is impossible to define the outer limits of this discipline: the complex interactions of business, governments, and societies never stand still. A pragmatic discipline must remain open-ended because there is no predicting what strategic adaptations may work best. This handbook is educational in the best sense.