The Power of Specialization: NGO Advocacy in Global Conservation Governance.

The article examines how the organizational choice between specialism and generalism among nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) influences issue salience—defined as public attention to an issue—in global governance, with a focus on wildlife conservation. Drawing on organizational ecology, the study finds that specialist NGOs, which concentrate on narrow niches, are more effective at raising issue salience by targeting engaged segments of the public ("issue publics"), whereas generalist NGOs, such as the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), appeal to broader but less attentive audiences. Quantitative analysis of mammalian species conservation issues (2008–2015) shows a strong positive association between specialist NGO density and issue salience, while the priority of leading generalist NGOs has limited explanatory power. A qualitative case study of pangolin conservation further illustrates that specialist NGOs initiated awareness-raising efforts that led generalist NGOs to follow, suggesting a division of labor rather than a hierarchy dominated by a few leading NGOs. The findings challenge prevailing views that NGO influence is monopolized by large organizations and highlight the distinct roles of specialist NGOs in shaping the organizational environment of global governance.