Skip to main content

Lobbying

Influencing government or regulatory bodies to shape the environment in your favour, often by aligning with user or public interest.

"Persuading Government of a favourable position."

– Simon Wardley

🤔 Explanation​

What is Lobbying?​

Lobbying is the strategic act of influencing government, regulators, or standards bodies to shape the environment in your favour. In Wardley Mapping, it is a play that leverages the "climate"—the regulatory and policy context—rather than direct market action. Lobbying can be:

  • Proactive: Advocating for new rules, subsidies, or standards that benefit your position or market.
  • Defensive: Preventing or countering regulations that would harm your interests.
  • Counterplay: Organising to oppose or neutralise a competitor's lobbying efforts.

Lobbying is often the first step in a chain that leads to Defensive Regulation, Limitation of Competition, or the Standards Game. It is not always anti-competitive—sometimes it is about enabling new markets, securing funding, or aligning with public good.

note

Lobbying is the action of influencing government or regulators. It is frequently the necessary precursor to enacting Defensive Regulation, and successful lobbying can create rules that directly contribute to the broader goal of Limitation of Competition. However, lobbying can also pursue other goals, such as subsidies, favourable contracts, or regulatory backing for a technical standard (Standards Game). Not all lobbying is defensive or anti-competitive—sometimes it is about enabling new markets or aligning with industrial policy. This strategy leads into, but should not duplicate, those more specific plays. See those pages for detailed mechanisms and counterplays.

Why use Lobbying?​

  • To shape the rules of the game before they are set by others
  • To create or defend structural advantages (e.g., regulatory barriers, subsidies, standards)
  • To align your interests with user, citizen, or public narratives for legitimacy
  • To counteract or neutralise a competitor's regulatory play
  • To unlock new markets or funding through policy change

How does Lobbying relate to similar strategies?​

Lobbying is the "influence" phase—often a precursor to Defensive Regulation (where rules are enacted), Limitation of Competition (where the environment is shaped to reduce rivalry), or the Standards Game (where a technical approach is institutionalised). Lobbying can also be a counterplay: mobilising users, coalitions, or public opinion to block or reverse a competitor's regulatory move. For detailed mechanisms, see those specific strategies.

🗺️ Real-World Examples​

Taxi Industry vs. Ride-Sharing (Defensive Lobbying)​

Traditional taxi companies lobbied city governments to impose strict regulations on ride-sharing startups (Uber, Lyft), citing safety and fairness. In many cities, this resulted in licensing caps or bans—raising barriers that ride-sharing firms had to fight city by city.

Major tech and entertainment firms have lobbied for strong copyright and patent laws (e.g., DRM, DMCA), making it harder for smaller players or open-source projects to compete. These regulations protect incumbent revenue streams and slow market disruption.

Renewable Energy vs. Utility Counterplay (Counter-Lobbying)​

When utilities lobbied for laws penalising home solar users, renewable energy companies organised public campaigns and met with lawmakers to defeat the bills—countering a competitor's lobbying. Conversely, they also lobbied for higher renewable portfolio standards, forcing utilities to buy more green energy.

Open Source and Open Standards (Legitimacy Play)​

Open-source communities and tech consortia have lobbied for open standards, arguing that these benefit citizens and customers. This is often framed as a public good, making it easier to gain regulatory support or mandates for their preferred approach.

🚦 When to Use / When to Avoid​

🚦 Lobbying Strategy Self-Assessment Tool

Find out the strategic fit and organisational readiness by marking each statement as Yes/Maybe/No based on your context. Strategy Assessment Guide.

Landscape and Climate

How well does the strategy fit your context?

  • The map shows a critical component or market position at risk from regulatory or policy change.
  • There are emerging or proposed rules that could be shaped to your advantage (or to a competitor's disadvantage).
  • You have, or could build, influence with policymakers, regulators, or standards bodies.
  • Public or user sentiment can be credibly aligned with your position.
  • Competitors are actively lobbying for changes that would harm your interests.
  • There is a window of opportunity before the environment shifts or rules are set.

Organisational Readiness (Doctrine)

How capable is your organisation to execute the strategy?

  • You have strong relationships with policymakers, regulators, or industry groups.
  • You understand the regulatory and standards landscape in detail.
  • You can mobilise resources for lobbying, coalition-building, or public campaigns.
  • Your organisation can credibly frame its position as serving the public or user interest.
  • You have contingency plans for regulatory or political backlash.
  • You can coordinate across legal, communications, and technical teams.

Assessment and Recommendation

Strategic Fit: Weak. Ability to Execute: Weak.

RECOMMENDATION
Consider alternative strategies or address significant gaps before proceeding.

LowHighStrategic FitHighLowAbility to Execute

Use when​

  • The regulatory environment significantly impacts your industry economics
  • You have, or can build, influence or credibility with decision-makers
  • The ROI of influencing policy is higher than direct market competition
  • You can credibly align your position with user or public benefit

Avoid when​

  • You lack influence, credibility, or resources
  • Public sentiment or political winds are strongly against your position
  • The market is evolving too quickly for regulatory action to be effective
  • Over-reliance on lobbying would stifle your own innovation or adaptability

🎯 Leadership​

Core challenge​

Leaders must shape the narrative and build coalitions, often in a complex and politicised environment. The challenge is to influence policy without overreaching, while maintaining legitimacy and public trust.

Key leadership skills required​

  • Political and regulatory acumen
  • Stakeholder management and coalition building
  • Strategic foresight and scenario planning
  • Communication and narrative framing
  • Ethical judgement and risk management

Ethical considerations​

Lobbying can benefit users and society, but risks regulatory capture, rent-seeking, or public backlash if perceived as self-serving. Leaders must weigh the broader impact, ensure transparency, and avoid undermining trust in institutions.

📋 How to Execute​

  1. Map the regulatory and policy landscape: Identify where your position is threatened or could be improved.
  2. Build relationships: Develop trust with key stakeholders (regulators, policymakers, standards bodies, user groups).
  3. Frame the narrative: Align your position with public or user benefit; prepare evidence and stories.
  4. Mobilise resources: Coordinate lobbying, coalition-building, and public campaigns.
  5. Monitor and adapt: Track changes in the environment and adjust tactics as needed.

📈 Measuring Success​

  • Regulatory, legal, or standards changes that favour your position
  • Reduced risk or cost from adverse regulation
  • Increased market access, funding, or legitimacy
  • Successful neutralisation of competitor lobbying
  • Sustained ability to invest and plan long-term

⚠️ Common Pitfalls and Warning Signs​

Reputation risk​

Heavy-handed or opaque lobbying can damage your reputation, especially if seen as anti-competitive or against user interests.

Regulatory unpredictability​

Political shifts or changes in enforcement can quickly undermine a lobbying-based advantage.

Over-dependence​

Relying too much on regulatory protection can lead to under-investment in innovation and leave you exposed if the environment changes.

Public backlash​

If lobbying is perceived as self-serving or harmful to users, it can trigger activism, negative media, or regulatory retaliation.

🧠 Strategic Insights​

Evolution and counterplay​

Lobbying is rarely a one-off; competitors and stakeholders will respond. Plan for counter-moves and the eventual erosion or reversal of regulatory advantages.

Value chain leverage​

Lobbying is most effective when you control or represent a critical dependency in the value chain (e.g., user base, standards, infrastructure).

Legitimacy as leverage​

Aligning with user or public interest narratives increases the chance of success and reduces reputational risk.

❓ Key Questions to Ask​

  • Landscape: What regulatory or policy changes could impact our position?
  • Influence: Who are the key decision-makers, and how can we build relationships?
  • Narrative: Can we credibly frame our position as serving the public or user interest?
  • Counterplay: What are competitors lobbying for, and how can we respond?
  • Resilience: How will we adapt if the regulatory environment shifts?

🔀 Related Strategies​

⛅ Relevant Climatic Patterns​

📚 Further Reading & References​

  • Uber Versus Taxis - Santos, G. (2021), ‘Uber and taxis’, International Encyclopaedia of Transportation, Elsevier. DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-08-102671-7.10602-5.
  • Internet Association - A trade association representing leading internet companies, often lobbying for policies that benefit the tech industry.