This article develops a theoretical framework for the analysis of corporate political involvement, as mediated not only by environmental factors but also by characteristics of the firm itself. Consistent with previous research, the authors examine how policy salience and the political, macroeconomic, and industry environments influence the level of a firm's involvement in politics. In addition, the authors' model takes into account such influences as corporate structure, resources, political experience, and stakeholder dependence.

The purpose of this article is to extend from the business and society research focus on corporate political strategy and to factor this emphasis into business strategy thinking. The approach taken is to incorporate business and society concepts into a model that parallels Michael Porter's well-known Five Forces Model of business strategy. The applicability of the parallel model for practitioners and academics is then illustrated by using the model to analyze the television violence issue.