AbstractThis article reports the findings of an extensive study of the process by which corporations manage their external affairs. The major portion of the data is drawn from the responses to a ten page questionnaire sent to 1000 of the largest corporations in the U.S.A. With a response rate of over 40 per cent, this is the largest database yet assembled with respect to the management of external affairs. The author has determined that the influence of public affairs offices varies considerably from industry to industry and from company to company, and this article identifies the factors which correlate strongly with a high degree of influence. In addition, the article identifies the factors which correlate strongly with a high degree of corporate influence in Washington.