Stakeholder management and communication

Cornelissen, J. (2017). Chapter 4 - Stakeholder management and communication. Corporate communication: A guide to theory and practice. 5th Ed (pp. 61-83).Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Summary

This chapter laid the foundations for stakeholder identification, management and communications. Starting with the stakeholder salience model developed by Mitchell, Agel, and Wood (1997), the chapter give a clear and concise explanation of how to use the model to identify stakeholders. It goes on to demonstrate additional tools that allow for further classification of stakeholders using the Power-Interest matrix. This model begins to that the type of communications different stakeholders will need. Going to the next step, the chapter outlines strategies and tactics to move stakeholders from awareness to commitment along with a definition of the types of communications organizations can employ with stakeholders (one-way symmetrical, two-way asymmetrical, and two-way symmetrical). Finally, this chapter gives some examples and guidance on how to engage stakeholders rather than manage them.

Experience

This chapter and what it defines is extremely relevant to me in my everyday work. I sometimes feel like I am supersaturated with stakeholders and find it difficult to manage and engage with all them. What this chapter has shown me is a way and a method to effectively identify my stakeholders, prioritize them, and plan strategies and tactics to communicate with them.

KEYWORDS: Dialogue strategy, informational strategy, legitimacy, persuasive strategy, stakeholder, stakeholder engagement, stakeholder salience, power-interest matrix, power, urgency, one-way symmetrical, two-way asymmetrical, two-way symmetrical