Leveraging Corporate Influence

• In Event: 325 - Regular Session. Social Movements III

Abstract

Movement scholars have become increasingly interested in the way in which social movement actors target non-state entities, particularly corporations. The reason for this is quite simple: globalization, neoliberal policies adopted by the state, and new legal protections via court rulings have allowed businesses to exert considerable influence across all facets of society. In light of these changes, movements have found targeting the state less effective than directly pressuring business interests. Scholarship suggests that one of the most effective ways to ensure that corporations attend to movement concerns is through market pressures. While negatively impacting stock returns is perhaps the most effective means of achieving such pressure, there is surprisingly little empirical research linking stock price outcomes to movement success. Here using QCA we examine 35 labor strikes to determine if the ability of the union to negatively impact stock price affected their ability to win new gains for members (or, to prevent concessions). Our findings reveal that it is the characteristics of the targeted firm, not the actions of the unions themselves, that is most closely associated with success.

Authors

• Andrew W. Martin, The Ohio State University

• Marc Dixon, Dartmouth College

• Michael David Nau, Ohio State University