Public opinion is comprised of a complex set of social and political processes that involve individuals, groups and organisations (Hennessy, 1981; Newsom, Turk & Kruckeberg, 2004). The relationships amongst these individuals, groups and organisations are guided by an equally complex set of values and principles (Ledingham & Bruning, 1998), which serve to shield or expose the organisational decisions that influence or respond to public opinion. Whilst there is much literature about public opinion and stakeholder relationships, this paper is part of a study that examines how activist stakeholders use public opinion to condemn government decisions, and shift debate from the court of public opinion to the court room itself. ududThis paper is built around a case study about the importation of Asian elephants. In July 2005, the Federal government approved the importation of eight endangered Asian elephants as part of a breeding program that would operate out of Taronga and Melbourne Zoos. In response, a number of animal welfare groups including the RSPCA lodged a legal challenge and forced the zoos to prove responsibility and effectiveness in caring for and breeding these elephants. This study involves an analysis of content from 68 items retrieved from print and electronic media from March to October 2005. Codes were developed from the literature to understand the nature of public opinion as well the sources of opinion. This paper will highlight the extent to which activist publics, as a united collective, will go to be heard. This study has implications for the continued understanding and management of activist and stakeholder relationships.
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机译：舆论由一系列复杂的社会和政治过程组成，涉及个人，团体和组织（Hennessy，1981； Newsom，Turk＆Kruckeberg，2004）。这些个人，群体和组织之间的关系受到一套同样复杂的价值观和原则的指导（Ledingham＆Bruning，1998），这些价值观和原则用来掩盖或揭露影响或回应公众舆论的组织决策。尽管有很多关于公众舆论和利益相关者关系的文献，但本文还是研究的一部分，探讨了激进主义者的利益相关者如何利用公众舆论谴责政府的决定，并将辩论从公众舆论转移到法庭本身。 ud ud本文围绕有关亚洲象进口的案例研究而构建。 2005年7月，联邦政府批准了从塔隆加和墨尔本动物园开始的繁殖计划的一部分，进口八头濒临灭绝的亚洲象。作为回应，包括RSPCA在内的许多动物福利组织提出了法律挑战，并迫使动物园证明了在照料和繁殖这些大象方面的责任和有效性。这项研究包括对2005年3月至2005年10月从印刷和电子媒体中检索到的68个项目的内容进行分析。从文献中开发了代码，以了解公众舆论的性质以及舆论来源。本文将强调激进主义公众作为一个统一的集体在多大程度上会被听到。这项研究对继续了解和管理维权人士和利益相关者的关系具有重要意义。
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