The Essential Services Policy Network: Organizational Influence in Canada's Information Highway Policy Development Process

This study explores organizational influence in the policy network that formed around the issue of determining essential services on the Canadian information highway. The data consisted of forty-seven interview transcripts plus policy documents and comparative structural characteristics from twenty-one organizations including three library-related organizations (LROs). Guided by the policy network theory, the research employed a blended methodology. Quantitative analyses identified six key players based on the interviewees' subjective perceptions and seven core organizations based on the network interactions. The qualitative content analysis found that the essential services issue had two main aspects--ensuring universal access to telecommunications networks and determining the criteria for defining essential information and communication services. High recognition of an organization's communication interactions by others was the best predictor of influence. Although the three LROs were not highly influential, one public interest group, the Public Interest Advocacy Centre, exerted far greater influence than was expected.