Abstract
Chapter 7 introduces the concept of sensing interests as a metaphor for describing how firms can alert themselves to the complex conditions in their nonmarket environment and leverage interests to obtain and create the conditions for a more receptive and responsive set of governmental and nongovernmental stakeholders. Moreover, it provides background insights into interest representation, reviews relevant management and policy literatures, introduces key concepts, and considers the roots of modern corporate interest mobilization within the political and social spheres and in the context of nonmarket strategy. It concludes that interest mobilization has several factors that determine influence in the nonmarket—levels, organization, relationships, and targets. Also, firms must respond by growing their interest in the nonmarket using a creating, controlling, coordinating, and changing approach. Ensuring equilibrium among these factors is the basis for successful interest building.