Role orientation and organizational strategy among policy professionals in civil society

Abstract

How does hiring of policy professionals, to do the policy work of civil society organizations, impact the organizations that hire them? Policy professionals constitute a growing group of actors who populate many interest groups, working with advocacy and influencing public policy. As a group they comprise various types of professionals, displaying different backgrounds, identities and motivations. By analyzing individual policy professionals, asking questions about their identity and motivation to work with advocacy, and then through ethnographical observations following their work, this article contributes to the understanding of how policy professionals’ backgrounds and professional identities are connected to organizational strategies and the process of professionalization. In so doing, it sheds new light on the dynamics of policy production and what professionalization of politics looks like in civil society. The article proposes a categorization of policy professionals’ role orientations in civil society as policy scholars, policy lobbyists, policy communicators and policy activists. This conceptualization is of analytical value, because the balance between these categories affects dynamics within organizations and the work they do in relation to advocacy and policy, in tandem with their legitimacy.

Policy professionals in civil society organizations

“…Based on earlier research and our empirical findings, we know that policy professionals in CSOs have varied educational backgrounds (Svallfors 2020;Mellquist 2022b). Many of those working in research departments have PhDs in disciplines such as economics, political science, sociology, and law.…”

“…Compared with other professionals working, for instance, in think tanks and governmental offices, this group has rich experience of associational life. This is especially the case for those working in trade unions, who often have experience of voluntary work in the "movement" (Selling & Svallfors 2019;Svallfors 2020;Mellquist 2022aMellquist , 2022b.…”

Do communicators take over? Mediatization and conflicts in civil society

“…In this article, I scrutinize a specific part of the struggles inside this varied group of employees, with reference to the strategic tensions found in CSOs between policy professionals working as "policy experts" and as "communication experts" (cf. Mellquist, 2022b;Moens, 2021). Bourdieu (1996) defines "the field" as a system of relationships and positions in which players within the field struggle over power and influence (see also Barman, 2016).…”

“…In this article, I scrutinize a specific part of the struggles inside this varied group of employees, with reference to the strategic tensions found in CSOs between policy professionals working as “policy experts” and as “communication experts” (cf. Mellquist, 2022b; Moens, 2021).…”

“…From earlier research, we know that policy teams comprise a range of competencies based on various educational paths, types of capital, and motivations for entering the labor market of policy professionals (Mellquist, 2022a, 2022b; Selling & Svallfors, 2019; Svallfors, 2020). We also know that organizations relate to and are affected by external processes (see e.g., Arvidson et al, 2018; Berkhout, 2013; Eikenberry & Kluver, 2004; Hwang & Powell, 2009; Sanders & McClellan, 2014; Schmitter & Streeck, 1999).…”