What is public affairs?
Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2024 4:20 am
The changes we have experienced at a global level in recent years have highlighted the need to strengthen the relationship between private companies and public administrations , establishing meeting points that allow us to find solutions to the real problems we are experiencing as a society. In the current situation of economic instability, public affairs can be key to moving forward, so much so that there are already level training courses focused on this area, such as our Master in Public Affairs and Communication .
Definition of public affairs
Public affairs, by definition, refers to the capacity of organizations to understand, collaborate and influence the political, legislative, regulatory and social agenda at a botim database national or even international level. They address all challenges whose solution requires the collaboration of civil society, the State and the private sector.
In the hands of companies and organisations, they can become an instrument for building a solid reputation and transparently informing society about their projects and interests . They also provide a channel for establishing and maintaining relationships with governments, public administrations and the local community , generally with the aim of building bridges and influencing public policies and regulations that affect them.
The paradigm shift in public affairs
The perspective on public affairs has changed considerably in recent times. In the past, most managers considered the relationship with governments and regulators as an obligatory formality, generally of a negative nature, to be resorted to when regulatory decisions had a harmful impact on business.
However, today's managers are more aware of the importance of public affairs and the influence that political and regulatory decisions have on business value, so relations with public authorities are undergoing a process of professionalization .
Companies are establishing more stable relationships with administrations and regulators, anticipating legal changes, anticipating risks, detecting new opportunities and getting involved in the legitimate participation channels opened in public decision-making processes to make clear their positions on the policies that directly affect them.
This paradigm shift in public affairs is largely due to a greater demand for transparency and legitimacy in government decisions by society, as well as the search for efficiency by organizations, which are incorporating into their staff professionals with legal and political knowledge who can defend their interests in regulatory processes or in the decisions of public authorities.
What are public affairs?
Although public affairs is often associated with lobbying, it is actually an activity that is both legitimate and necessary in representative democracies . Indeed, there are many examples of positive public affairs, such as when on 12 December 2015 a total of 195 countries signed the Paris Agreement on climate change, requiring states and businesses to implement an action plan aimed at limiting global warming to below 2°C and achieving climate neutrality by 2050.
That same year, world leaders agreed on the Sustainable Development Goals to eradicate poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all as part of a new development agenda that has been joined by companies and organizations around the world, with the involvement of civil society.
Since 2006, the Internet Governance Forum has also been held every year, where experts and academics from around the world debate alongside governments, businesses and society to establish guidelines for the virtual world that guarantee a safer, more sustainable and equal use of the Internet. All these examples of public affairs show that this profession has a great future ahead of it.
If you are interested in working in this sector, you can study a Double Degree in Business Administration and Marketing to receive cross-disciplinary training and then specialize with our Master's in Public Affairs and Communication.
Definition of public affairs
Public affairs, by definition, refers to the capacity of organizations to understand, collaborate and influence the political, legislative, regulatory and social agenda at a botim database national or even international level. They address all challenges whose solution requires the collaboration of civil society, the State and the private sector.
In the hands of companies and organisations, they can become an instrument for building a solid reputation and transparently informing society about their projects and interests . They also provide a channel for establishing and maintaining relationships with governments, public administrations and the local community , generally with the aim of building bridges and influencing public policies and regulations that affect them.
The paradigm shift in public affairs
The perspective on public affairs has changed considerably in recent times. In the past, most managers considered the relationship with governments and regulators as an obligatory formality, generally of a negative nature, to be resorted to when regulatory decisions had a harmful impact on business.
However, today's managers are more aware of the importance of public affairs and the influence that political and regulatory decisions have on business value, so relations with public authorities are undergoing a process of professionalization .
Companies are establishing more stable relationships with administrations and regulators, anticipating legal changes, anticipating risks, detecting new opportunities and getting involved in the legitimate participation channels opened in public decision-making processes to make clear their positions on the policies that directly affect them.
This paradigm shift in public affairs is largely due to a greater demand for transparency and legitimacy in government decisions by society, as well as the search for efficiency by organizations, which are incorporating into their staff professionals with legal and political knowledge who can defend their interests in regulatory processes or in the decisions of public authorities.
What are public affairs?
Although public affairs is often associated with lobbying, it is actually an activity that is both legitimate and necessary in representative democracies . Indeed, there are many examples of positive public affairs, such as when on 12 December 2015 a total of 195 countries signed the Paris Agreement on climate change, requiring states and businesses to implement an action plan aimed at limiting global warming to below 2°C and achieving climate neutrality by 2050.
That same year, world leaders agreed on the Sustainable Development Goals to eradicate poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all as part of a new development agenda that has been joined by companies and organizations around the world, with the involvement of civil society.
Since 2006, the Internet Governance Forum has also been held every year, where experts and academics from around the world debate alongside governments, businesses and society to establish guidelines for the virtual world that guarantee a safer, more sustainable and equal use of the Internet. All these examples of public affairs show that this profession has a great future ahead of it.
If you are interested in working in this sector, you can study a Double Degree in Business Administration and Marketing to receive cross-disciplinary training and then specialize with our Master's in Public Affairs and Communication.