| Abstract: | In the field of lobbying, the phrase “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is germane to most issues. However, corporate America is often loath to expend resources on lobbying until an actual problem arises which, in reality, is almost always past the point at which intervention should have occured in order to ensure a reasonable chance of success.The difficulties of convincing management to dedicate resources to an activity whose results are never easily quantified or qualified are numerous. Lobbying does not lend itself to cost-benefit analysis and thus is often scorned as frivolous by corporate officers and managers who are motivated by bottom-line and productivity measurements. Convincing corporate policy makers that it is prudent to be prepared for some as yet unidentified governmental decision, which may significantly impact their operation and profitably, likens the lobbyist to a fortune teller—hardly a credible mantra. However, as illustrated in the following case, corporate America can reap many benefits from wise anticipation of the need for an environmental lobbyist. |
