A supply chain perspective of stakeholder identification as a tool for responsible policy and decision-making. Issue 81 (March 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Fritz, Morgane M.C.; Rauter, Romana; Baumgartner, Rupert J.; Dentchev, Nikolay
• Is Part Of: Environmental science & policy. Issue 81(2018)
• Page Start: 63
• Page End: 76
• Publication Date: 2018-03
• Subjects: Supply chain -- Stakeholder identification -- Institutions -- Mercury -- Energy; Environmental policy -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Periodicals; Environnement -- Politique gouvernementale -- Périodiques; Sciences de l'environnement -- Périodiques; Environmental policy; Environmental sciences; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 363.70561
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envsci.2017.12.011
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1462-9011

Abstract

Highlights: Literature on stakeholder identification methods and processes is reviewed. Nine requirements to successfully identify stakeholders are gathered. Eight steps are proposed to carry the process of stakeholder identification. Supply chain concepts support a more comprehensive stakeholder identification process. Two cases corroborate the theoretical proposition. Abstract: Traditional stakeholder research typically departs from organisation-centric or issue-centric approaches. However, using these approaches for stakeholder identification lacks rigor and comprehensiveness, since these approaches cannot be used to embrace the complexity and dynamics of the organizational constituents. To address this gap, we propose adopting a supply chain perspective on stakeholder identification and describe the process in more detail with two cases of mercury trade and energy. Adopting a supply chain perspective reveals the direct and indirect stakeholders' influences, allowing us to study their interrelations, and clearly shows the role of each constituent in the stakeholder nexus. This process can serve as a tool to support governments, businesses, researchers, and non-governmental organisations to help them identify stakeholders related to services or goods in a more rigorous and comprehensive manner. In turn, in terms of increasing stakeholder understanding and engagement, responsible decision- and policy-makers can adopt this process to improve their chances of reaching sustainability goals. The focus is here set on environmental strategies and policies but the approach can be applied in other contexts where supply chain stakeholders need to be identified in relation to a piece of goods or a service.