“…Such a view conceives of information as a commodity in political struggles, with both a price and a value (Hall and Deardorff, 2006), and thus posits that it should be offered to allies and used strategically against opponents. This observation is supported by strong empirical data about the way lobbyists and organizations exchange information, the structure of communication networks between them and how the convergence of preferences and interests influences the communication process (Heaney, 2006;Heinz et al, 1993;Lowery et al, 2005;Smith, 1995;Wright, 1990).…”