Handbook of Public Affairs

'When the next generation of public affairs practitioners look back to the beginning of the 21st century they will recognise the Handbook of Public Affairs as the cornerstone text on which global practice came to be based' - Tom Spencer, Executive Director, European Centre for Public Affairs

'Excelling in the practice of corporate public affairs in the 21st century will necessitate bringing together two competencies: possessing a solid professional foundation base don time-tested principles, and having the ability to reach beyond the basics by adapting the best current thinking, practices, and models available. Professionals can enhance both competencies by reading the Handbook of Public Affairs'

- Brian Hawkinson, Director Center for Public Affairs Management/Public Affairs Council Washington

'Understanding the imperatives of stakeholders and special interest groups in the public domain is of increasing importance to leaders in both business and politics. However, knowing how to influence these imperatives, and design communications to proactively affect change, is a well sought-after commodity. Public affairs professionals not only understand these dynamics, but constantly strive to ensure continuous improvement in the counsel they provide and in the results they deliver. As more and more people in business, government, NGO and not-for-profit sectors are seeking out the services of public affairs practitioners, this Handbook will help readers gain a better appreciation for strategies and tactics that comprise successful public affairs campaigns'

- Chris Benedetti, President, Public Affairs Association of Canada

'The Handbook is a landmark development in the field of Public Affairs, bringing together in a single volume contributions from key academics and practitioners in the field. It offers a comprehensive overview of the field for the first time and is an essential reference book to underpin practice, teaching and research in the discipline'

- Professor Andrew Lock, Leeds University Business School

'The Handbook of Public Affairs is a comprehensive guide to best knowledge and practices in the field. Everyone – from business school deans to chief executive officers to seasoned public affairs executives – can find information in the Handbook of Public Affairs to help them achieve their reputation- and public policy-related goals'

- Douglas G. Pinkham, President, Public Affairs Council

'For years, there has been a glaring lack of substantive academic literature to underpin the development of the public affairs profession. Throughout his distinguished career, Craig Fleisher has made a vast contribution to filling that void. In the Handbook of Public Affairs, Craig and his co-editor Phil Harris, have brought together the best minds in the field from around the globe to create a text that will surely support the development of new programs and new careers for the public affairs practitioners of tomorrow'

- Randall Pearce, General Manager Ipsos Mackay Public Affairs, Sydney

'The Handbook of Public Affairs will be a valuable resource for the growing number of public affairs practitioners who seek to balance an appreciation of the global evolution of their profession with the 'hands-on' reality of applying core concepts and theories to their organisation's management practices'

- Alexis Lindsay, Director, The Centre for Corporate Public Affairs (Australia)

Public Affairs and particularly government relations/lobbying, have evolved in recent years from a tactic adopted by organizations to amend occasional legislation to become a managerial strategy to achieve competitive advantage.

At the fore-front of research and practice in Public Affairs, this Handbook draws upon the expertise of leading figures in the field to provide a comprehensive overview of a huge growth area in organisations' strategic thinking. Articles evoke pan-national experience and are organised into four sections to help readers navigate issues and draw comparisons. Sections cover:

- investigation into the development and meaning of Public Affairs

- the management and practice of Public Affairs within organisations

- global case studies

- an overview of scholarly developments.