Stakeholder Mapping

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Creating graphical representations of stakeholder groups. Explanation of Stakeholder Mapping.


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What is Stakeholder Mapping? Description

Following or during a Stakeholder Analysis process, it is often useful to categorize the various stakeholders by drawing further pictures of what the stakeholder groups are, which interests they represent, the amount of power they possess, whether they represent inhibiting or supporting factors for the organization to realize its objectives, or methods in which they should be dealt with. Stakeholder Mapping is the process of creating such pictures to clarify the position of the stakeholders of the organization.
 

Amongst the generic methods that can be used to analyze stakeholders are: Internal / External Stakeholder Analysis, Primary / Secondary Stakeholder Analysis,  Force Field Analysis, SWOT Analysis and Actor Influence Diagrams. Actor Influence Diagrams help to picture the formal and, more importantly, informal relationships that exist: the networks. These relationships are captured as a directed graph of arrows linking one stakeholder to another. Formal and informal relationships are captured using different arrow types.

 

Below you can find some more, specialized stakeholder mapping methods.

 

One example of such maps is called the Power / Dynamism Matrix. This stakeholder map classifies stakeholders in relation to the power that they hold and the dynamism of their stance. The Power / Dynamism Map can be used to ascertain where political efforts should be focused during the development of new strategies.

  • The stakeholders in group A and B are the easiest to deal with.

  • The stakeholders in group C are important, because they are powerful. However their dynamism is low, so their stance is predictable and their expectations can often be met in a relatively easy manner..

  • Stakeholders in group D should have the most management attention, because they are powerful and their stance is difficult to predict. They can sometimes be dealt with by testing out new strategies with them before final decisions are made.

 Stakeholder Mapping - Power / Dynamism Matrix

Another example is the Power / Interest Matrix. This stakeholder map classifies stakeholders in relation to the power that they hold and the extent to which they are likely to show interest in the strategies of the organization. The Power / Interest Map can be used to indicate what type of relationship the organization should have with each of  the groups.

  • The stakeholders in group A require only minimal effort and monitoring.

  • The stakeholders in group B should be kept informed. They can be important to influence the more powerful stakeholders.

  • Stakeholders in group C are powerful, but their level of interest in the strategies of the organization is low. They are generally relatively passively, but may suddenly emerge as a result of certain events, moving to group D on that issue. They should be kept satisfied.

  • The stakeholders in group D are both powerful and highly interested in the strategies of the organization. The acceptability of strategies to these key players should be an important consideration in the evaluation of new strategies.

 Stakeholder Mapping - Power / Interest Matrix

A more recent Stakeholder Mapping model is the Power, Legitimacy and Urgency Model described by Mitchell, Agle and Wood (1997, 1999). This model maps stakeholder behavior into 7 types, depending on the combination of three characteristics:

  • POWER of the stakeholder to influence the organization.

  • LEGITIMACY of the relationship and actions of the stakeholder with the organization in terms of desirability, properness or appropriateness.

  • URGENCY of the requirements being set for the organization by a stakeholder in terms of criticality and time-sensitivity for the stakeholder.

The stakeholders who show only one of the 3 characteristics (number 1, 2 and 3 in the picture) are defined as the Latent Stakeholders. They are sub-classified further as dormant, discretionary or demanding stakeholders.

 

The stakeholders who show two out of  3 of the characteristics (number 4, 5 and 6 in the picture) are defined as Expectant Stakeholders. They are sub-classified further as dominant, dangerous or dependent stakeholders.

 

The stakeholders showing all 3 characteristics are called Definitive Stakeholders.

 Stakeholder Mapping - Power, Legitimacy, Urgency

 

Note that the management of an organization has to assess the position of each stakeholder. It is the subjective perception of management that will ultimately decide the way in which the organization will act towards its stakeholders.

 

Book: Gardner, J.R., Rachlin, R. and Sweeny, H.W.A. - Handbook of Strategic Planning (1986) -

Book: Mitchell, R.K., Agle, B.R., Sonnenfeld, J.A. - Who Matters to CEOs? An Investigation of Stakeholders Attributes and Salience, Corporate Performance and CEO Values (1999) -

 

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Recent User Comments
Steve Waddell - USA Other Mapping Approaches "I'm a bit surprised the way "mapping" is interpreted... Here it's equated with matrices and what is more commonly called "conceptual mapping" which are useful but really on the the tip of the iceberg. I find web crawls, social network analysis, value network analysis and strategic clarity mapping techniques particularly useful because they're much more clearly linked to data... The relationships are defined by data collected and described with causal relationships of arrows and nodes. From here you can do all types of informed analysis including conceptual mapping. You can find a paper comparing these methods at networkingaction.net/5.html"    0
Patrice - Mauritius Stakeholder Mapping link to CSR "Hi every one, Stakeholder mapping is also linked to Corporate Social reponsibility, corporate governance and business ethics as any firm is now compelled to at least satisfy or exceed the minimum obligations of its stakeholders. The power/interest matrix (by the way proposed by Johnson & Scholes as mentioned by Frank) helps to prioritise stakeholder relationships and determine which of these interest groups it needs to serve and focus on."    -6
Marina - USA Stakeholder Map for Pharma Company "I am wondering if you have a framework that could describe stakeholder mapping for the pharma company (physicians, patients, payors)? Power is definitely one dimension but not sure what is the other. Thanks"    2
Seake-kwawu Atsu - Ghana Stakeholder Mapping "These models appear very comprehensive, each dealing with the issue from slightly different angles. Lets share any lessons learnt in using these so we can share their usefulness or otherwise in the field."    0
Laura - NM Steps in Mapping Stakeholders "What are the main steps in constructing a stakeholder map?"    6



Best User Comments
Rodolfo - USA Stakeholder mapping "Another valid maping model comes from Lynda Bourne at stakeholder-management.com/"    20
Frank - Switzerland Source of Power / Interest Matrix "Please note that the above mentioned source of the Power / Interest Matrix is wrong. The correct source would be Johnson and Scholes after Mendelow (1981)."    4
Antonio Brito - Brazil Conceptual Stakeholder References "Hello, everyone, I have recently joined this forum, interested in sharing and getting more references on stakeholder mapping and stakeholder analysis.
I read the MAW article referenced in this page which proved excellent input for a point of view that I wrote with a partner at the consulting firm I work with (sorry, guys, it is in Portuguese).
What else do you recommend on this topic? Any books on external stakeholder analysis, -mapping, and -management?
Thank you! Best regards, Brito"		    1
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  └► Editor (Netherlands) Stakeholder Map for Pharma Company "Surely it would be possible to create a stakeholder map for pharma using any of the above three stakeholder mapping methods... What precisely is your issue, Marina?"


  └► Pete (USA) Stakeholder Management Process Steps "1. Identification of all stakeholders (who are the stakeholders?)
2. Prioritization of stakeholders (who is important?)
3. Mapping of stakeholders (how are stakeholders positioned and related?)
4. Engagement of stakeholders (what should be the communication strategy and approaches?)
5. Monitoring of stakeholders (how effective is the communication?)"
  └► Jeswan Singhps (Malaysia) The Makeup of Stakeholders "When referring to stakeholders, enhancement of shareholder value seemed to take center stage for a longtime. The realization that stakeholders are more than shareholders is now strong - a key component is of course the employees whose importance needs a strong focus, as if you look after the employees all other components will fall into place."
  └► Patrick Senadzo (Ghana) Stakeholder Mapping Steps "1. You identify all the stakeholders for your organization
2. Assess their various expectations from the company
3. Identify their level of importance and impact on your operations
4. Rate such impacts as powerful, important, negligible and distant
The above could be done by basing the assessment on the the operations of the company."
  └► Frank (NL) Stakeholder Management Process Steps "See the book "Performance Leadership"
1. Identify stakeholders
2. Identify type of relationship
3. Identify contributions and requirements
4. Identify information exchange"
  └► Sandy Graham (USA) Stakeholders "Fundamentally, I feel you all making too much out of stakeholder mapping. Unless of course you are concerned with an academic paper or publication. Look, stakeholders are important. None more important than your customers or clients, followed by your employees. The two analytical tools I suggest using to assess stakeholder importance are SWOT and Balanced Scorecard. You know the steps."
  └► MARK TRIPET (Australia) Stakeholder Mapping "Thanks to all contributors for some nice points...especially Sandy (USA) for the sobering words. In an organisation where sustainablity is a key criteria, someone, somewhere MUST take responsibility to implement a basic set of quality observations and metrics across the entire flow of the transformation process. In healthcare as an expample, it is all too easy for stakeholder areas to strive for an interpretation of excellence in ignorance or conflict with what other stakeholders in the wider process are attempting to do - stakeholder mapping is by nature academic, but good management brings understanding and change thereby reducing business friction "inter process". It is a bit like statistics, there are no specific answers in the metrics - just a body of information from which infomed management can learn to ask better questions. bless you all"
  └► Agyeman Badu Crescens (Ghana) Procedure in Mapping Stakeholders "1. Know the stakeholders
2. Segment your stakeholders
3. Create an efficient communication strategy
4. Controlling of stakeholders through effective supervision"
  └► Okey Ahube (Nigeria) Stakeholders Mapping "Very brilliant ideas. Hope to gain a lot as I just joined. However, I start by saying that stakeholders consist of shareholders, employees, customers, management , communities etc. In my organisation, nothing can reasonably be achieved without the community."

  └► lugordon (China) good resource "thanks for sharing that."

  └► Peter Snowdon (UK) correct! "This is correct. See: THEAKER, A. (2007). The Public Relations Handbook. 3rd ed. London: Routledge."