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The Rise of NGO Activism

Author

Listed:
  • Julien Daubanes

    (University of Geneva)

  • Jean-Charles Rochet

    (University of Geneva, Swiss Finance Institute, and University of Zurich)

Abstract

Activist non-governmental organizations (NGOs) increasingly oppose firms’ practices. We suggest this might be related to the vulnerability of public regulation to corporate influence. We examine a potentially-harmful industrial project subject to regulatory approval. Under industry influence, the regulator may approve the project even though it is harmful. However, an NGO may oppose it. We characterize the circumstances under which NGO opposition occurs and under which it is socially beneficial. Our theory explains the role that NGOs have assumed in the last decades, and has implications for the social legitimacy of activism and the appropriate degree of transparency of industrial activities.

Suggested Citation

  • Julien Daubanes & Jean-Charles Rochet, 2019. "The Rise of NGO Activism," Working Papers 2019.01, FAERE - French Association of Environmental and Resource Economists.
    • Handle: RePEc:fae:wpaper:2019.01
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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Cited by:

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    2. Meisinger, Norman, 2022. "A tragedy of intangible commons: Riding the socioecological wave," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).
    3. Klement Podnar & Urša Golob, 2024. "Brands and activism: ecosystem and paradoxes," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 31(2), pages 95-107, March.
    4. Espinosa, Romain & Treich, Nicolas, 2020. "Moderate vs. Radical NGOs," TSE Working Papers 20-1159, Toulouse School of Economics (TSE).
    5. Ambec, Stefan & De Donder, Philippe, 2022. "Environmental policy with green consumerism," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    6. Adetutu, Morakinyo O. & Rasciute, Simona, 2024. "Pollution, severe health conditions, and extreme right-wing ideology: A tale of three contemporary challenges," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 237(C).
    7. Romain Espinosa & Sylvie Borau & Nicolas Treich, 2024. "Impact of NGOs’ undercover videos on citizens’ emotions and pro-social behaviors," Post-Print hal-04696402, HAL.
    8. Barry Ackers & Adeyemi Adebayo, 2024. "The nexus between non‐governmental organisations involved in conservation and profit‐seeking state‐owned enterprises: A potential alternative credibility enhancing mechanism for biodiversity disclosur," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(4), pages 2699-2714, July.
    9. Daniel Cardona & Jenny De Freitas & Antoni Rubí-Barceló, 2021. "Environmental policy contests: command and control versus taxes," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 28(3), pages 654-684, June.
    10. Morakinyo O Adetutu & Kayode A Odusanya & Eleni Stathopoulou & Thomas G Weyman-Jones, 2023. "Environmental regulation, taxes, and activism," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 75(2), pages 460-489.
    11. Chiroleu-Assouline, Mireille & Lambert-Mogiliansky, Ariane, 2023. "Radical activism and self-regulation: An optimal campaign mechanism," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    12. Nicolas Treich, 2018. "Veganomics : vers une approche économique du véganisme ?," Revue française d'économie, Presses de Sciences-Po, vol. 0(4), pages 3-48.
    13. Michele Fioretti & Victor Saint-Jean & Simon C. Smith, 2024. "NGO Activism: Exposure vs. Influence," Papers 2411.06875, arXiv.org, revised Nov 2024.
    14. Fabien Prieur & Benteng Zou, 2017. "On the impact of indirect competition for political influence on environmental policy," DEM Discussion Paper Series 17-16, Department of Economics at the University of Luxembourg.
    15. Prieur, Fabien & Zou, Benteng, 2018. "Climate politics: How public persuasion affects the trade-off between environmental and economic performance," Mathematical Social Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 63-72.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    NGO activism; Public regulation; Industry influence; Private politics; Transparency;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D02 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Institutions: Design, Formation, Operations, and Impact
    • D74 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Conflict; Conflict Resolution; Alliances; Revolutions
    • D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design

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