Firms are known to provide information to policymakers, but little is known about the conditions under which that information is used in shaping public policy. We theorize that self-interested organizations can strategically use information that is socially constructed as disinterested—scientific knowledge—to shape the language of policies. We also explore how companies’ degree of self-interest and social ties affect policymakers’ willingness to use such information. Focusing on corporate political activity in the form of voluntary filings of amicus briefs submitted to the U.S. Supreme Court, we analyze patent-related cases that the Court considered between 2000 and 2015. We find that firms that cite social science articles in their briefs are more likely to have their arguments reflected in the Court’s opinions. This relationship is positively moderated when the firm’s lawyer has prior clerkship experience at the Supreme Court, highlighting the role of social ties in tailoring briefs to the Court. However, the degree of self-interest negatively moderates the positive impact of scientific information, suggesting that credibility is compromised when firms appear overly vested in the Court ruling. (with John P. Walsh)
Contact person: Elisabeth Hofmeister
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