Search results

1 – 10 of over 62000
Book part
Publication date: 4 August 2014

Felicity Kelliher, Elaine Aylward and Patrick Lynch

This study tracked rural network activity among regional stakeholders, including government supported agencies, educational institutes, indigenous business representatives…

Abstract

Purpose

This study tracked rural network activity among regional stakeholders, including government supported agencies, educational institutes, indigenous business representatives, economic support organizations and rural community groups. It explored the relationships that exist between regional stakeholders in a collaborative rural network environment, offering insights into the relationship dynamic between stakeholder organizations.

Methodology/approach

A longitudinal case study method was utilized to identify the component elements of regional stakeholder network engagement.

Findings

Communication, resource sharing and prolonged social interaction were found to be key elements in promoting stakeholder trust. Furthermore, proactive stakeholders improve commitment to network relationships over time. A cyclical flow of these criteria is necessary for congruent understanding to develop between the stakeholders resulting in collaborative network engagement.

Research limitations

Limitations include stakeholder willingness to participate in the research study, potential participant and researcher bias and the possibility that certain features may be particular to the observed network.

Practical/social implications

The current research demonstrated that stakeholder engagement cannot be assumed in a rural network environment, thus the implementation of the network paradigm into national strategic plans for rural regional development is recommended.

Originality/value

This research contributes to the under-developed area of regional stakeholder network engagement and provides a basis from which to consider the relationships that exist between regional stakeholders in a rural network. A key outcome is the development of a Framework of Regional Stakeholder Network Engagement, which offers insight into how committed network relationships evolve and highlight the factors that promote and hinder sustainable regional stakeholder engagement.

Details

Exploring Rural Enterprise: New Perspectives On Research, Policy & Practice
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78441-109-1

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 23 May 2017

Timothy J. Rowley

The argument that applications of social network research tools and theories to stakeholder research will advance our understanding of how organizations should and do interact…

Abstract

The argument that applications of social network research tools and theories to stakeholder research will advance our understanding of how organizations should and do interact with their stakeholders and how stakeholders influence organizations has been well known for over 15 years. However, the integration of social network analysis and stakeholder research has been limited to date. To motivate stakeholder network research, I illustrate the similarities and complementarities between these research streams, arguing that the social network perspective tackles weaknesses in stakeholder models supporting the creation of more fruitful models of organization–stakeholder environments. I illustrate how stakeholder power and legitimacy, and focal organization obligations can be better modeled theoretically and measured empirically using social network concepts and techniques.

Article
Publication date: 28 February 2023

Jiayuan Liu

This study aims to explore how stakeholders leverage their guanxi and structural holes to promote knowledge mobilization to increase the performance of sci-tech achievement…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to explore how stakeholders leverage their guanxi and structural holes to promote knowledge mobilization to increase the performance of sci-tech achievement transformation.

Design/methodology/approach

This study conducted questionnaires, a social network analysis and semistructured interviews to examine its hypotheses by gathering data from a university and an enterprise in China.

Findings

Structural holes impede knowledge mobilization among stakeholders in their network, but guanxi moderates this impeding effect. In addition, knowledge mobilization promotes transformation performance.

Originality/value

By developing a mechanism to illustrate how stakeholders strategically leverage their guanxi and structural holes to affect the efficacy of knowledge mobilization to increase transformation performance, we reveal how stakeholders interact to co-create values for innovation, thereby contributing to the innovation and knowledge management literature.

Details

Chinese Management Studies, vol. 18 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1750-614X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 November 2020

Dario Cottafava and Laura Corazza

The need for stakeholder theory has been widely highlighted in the literature to develop solid strategies for a large organization. However, there is still a lack of user-friendly…

Abstract

Purpose

The need for stakeholder theory has been widely highlighted in the literature to develop solid strategies for a large organization. However, there is still a lack of user-friendly visualization tools and no unique approach exists to identify and engage stakeholders. This paper aims to propose a general methodology to co-design the sustainability ecosystem at the local scale, to explore it and to assess the impact of a large organization within the identified ecosystem.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology consists of two main processes: identifying an ontological map of the sustainability topics network and designing the local sustainability stakeholders ecosystem. Both processes are based on a nodes identification phase and a nodes prioritization phase. The identification phase was achieved by engaging 160 citizens, for the topics network and nearly 40 relevant stakeholders, for the stakeholders’ ecosystem, with a collaborative participatory mapping process. The prioritization phase was conducted because of three indicators, i.e. the closeness, the betweenness and the eigenvector centrality.

Findings

Betweenness centrality results to be the best indicator to assess the importance of a stakeholder with respect to the whole network, while eigenvector centrality highlights the quality of the already engaged stakeholders of an organization, as it mainly depends on the number of links of the first order neighbors. On the contrary, the closeness centrality, when applied to a small network, seems to be not appropriate to assess the centrality of a stakeholder.

Research limitations/implications

This approach revealed some criticalities in the mapping process, as in the weighting link procedure. Further investigations are needed to generalize the approach to a dynamic one, to allow real-time mapping and to develop a robust interconnection among centrality degrees and the power, interest and legitimacy concept of stakeholder theory.

Practical implications

Obtained results for a case study, i.e. the position of the University of Turin Green Office within the City of Turin sustainability ecosystem, are discussed showing how social network analysis centrality degrees can be used to quantitatively assess the role of an organization within a stakeholders’ ecosystem.

Social implications

Centrality analysis allows identifying emergent topics/stakeholders within a network of words/actors that, at a first sight, should not be considered by decision-makers and managers.

Originality/value

A new methodology for stakeholder identification and prioritization is proposed exploiting online data visualization tools, participatory mapping and social network analysis.

Details

Kybernetes, vol. 50 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0368-492X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 February 2021

Jiayuan Liu and Jianzhou Yan

This study examines the relationships between structural holes, guanxi and knowledge sharing among groups of stakeholders within a Chinese destination network.

Abstract

Purpose

This study examines the relationships between structural holes, guanxi and knowledge sharing among groups of stakeholders within a Chinese destination network.

Design/methodology/approach

This study conducted surveys, social network analysis and semi-structured interviews to gather data from the stakeholders of a popular Chinese tourist destination to test its hypotheses.

Findings

Knowledge sharing within the destination network was impeded by structural holes but facilitated by guanxi. Furthermore, the impeding effect of structural holes on knowledge sharing is alleviated by guanxi.

Originality/value

This study illustrates the ways that stakeholders exploit structural holes and guanxi to promote knowledge sharing, and thus offers novel insights into how destination network structures affect the efficacy of stakeholders when it comes to sharing knowledge and promoting their destination.

Details

Journal of Organizational Change Management, vol. 35 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0953-4814

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 30 December 2020

Shintaro Okazaki, Kirk Plangger, Thomas Roulet and Héctor D. Menéndez

With the popularity of social media platforms, firms have now tangible means not only to reach out to their stakeholders, but also to closely monitor those interactions. Yet…

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Abstract

Purpose

With the popularity of social media platforms, firms have now tangible means not only to reach out to their stakeholders, but also to closely monitor those interactions. Yet, there are limited methodological advances on how to measure a firm’s stakeholder networks, and the level of engagement firms have with these networks. Drawn upon the customer engagement and stakeholder theory literature, this study aims to propose an approach to calculate a firm’s stakeholder network engagement (SNE) index.

Design/methodology/approach

After deriving the SNE index formula mathematically, this study illustrates how the SNE index functions using eight firms’ online corporate social responsibility (CSR) networks across four diverse industries.

Findings

This study proposes and illustrates a new approach of capturing the SNE in a stakeholder network for use by academic and practical researchers.

Research limitations/implications

Researchers can use the SNE index to assess engagement in stakeholder networks in various contexts.

Practical implications

Managers can use the SNE index to assess, benchmark and improve the nature and quality of their CSR strategies to derive greater return on their CSR investments.

Originality/value

Building on the stakeholder, communication and network analysis literatures, this study conceptualises SNE in four theoretical dimensions, namely, diffusion, accessibility, interactivity and influence. Then, an index that measures SNE is mathematically derived and empirically illustrated.

Article
Publication date: 13 July 2017

Nayanthara De Silva, R.P.N.P. Weerasinghe, H.W.N. Madhusanka and Mohan Kumaraswamy

A case is made for developing “Relationally Integrated Value Networks for Total Facilities Management” (RIVANS-TFM) by synergistically connecting significant stakeholders of the…

Abstract

Purpose

A case is made for developing “Relationally Integrated Value Networks for Total Facilities Management” (RIVANS-TFM) by synergistically connecting significant stakeholders of the project management (PM) and facilities management (FM) phases to deliver substantially better value for the end users of built infrastructure. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

A structured questionnaire survey enabled identification of typically significant stakeholders in the PM and FM phases. In total, 14 key stakeholders were identified through t-test analysis in this Sri Lankan study. Semi-structured interviews unveiled relationships among the aforementioned stakeholders and the findings were used to develop the “required” RIVANS-TFM, as well as the “existing” RIVANS-TFM, using the UCINET social network analysis software package. Social network theory of relationships was applied to analyze the networks in terms of “Structural Holes” or missing links and “Brokerage Potentials.”

Findings

Structural holes analysis highlighted the existing setup to be more vulnerable to missing links than the “required”/targeted setup. Furthermore, brokerage potentials analysis revealed that owners, project managers, facility managers, maintenance engineers, main contractors, designers, principal consultants, and other specialist consultants can act as “brokers” to bridge the gaps or minimize structural holes, thereby uplifting and reinforcing the existing network to deliver better performance and value in TFM.

Originality/value

By revealing existing and required levels of integration of each stakeholder in RIVANS-TFM, clients are provided a great opportunity to identify the stakeholders who should be engaged more, or less – in order to best achieve clients’ long-term aspirations and project objectives. Furthermore, the findings also indicate appropriate levels of stakeholder relationships to target, in order to maintain efficient flows of information, material and services in the supply chains while enhancing TFM life-cycle values.

Details

Built Environment Project and Asset Management, vol. 7 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2044-124X

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 6 November 2015

Birutė Mikulskienė

The main issue of stakeholders’ inclusion nowadays is the establishment of relationships between policy actors and creation of a supportive environment for stakeholder

Abstract

Purpose

The main issue of stakeholders’ inclusion nowadays is the establishment of relationships between policy actors and creation of a supportive environment for stakeholder participation to allow a straightforward stakeholder inclusion with a meaningful contribution to policy making. The concept of a collective identity describing how shared values, shared activities and a shared identity lead to social cohesion between a large number of people, could suggest a hint for stakeholder empowerment. We argue that a proper inclusion leads towards empowerment of stakeholders only where efforts to build collective identity are allocated. Otherwise, stakeholder inclusion is only about static participatory governance where knowledge collection predominates over knowledge sharing and co-production. The goal of the present chapter is to trace formal governance networks as a participatory governance mechanism and analyse stakeholder perspectives to be empowered to act in a formal governance network presuming that the network structure creates an environment where a collective identity is being built.

Methodology/approach

The formal governance networks of 2013 led by the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Economy and Ministry of Education and Science were reconstructed on the bases of documents available in the organisations. The structure of the governance networks of 2013 is analysed as a precondition for an organisational collective identity to form.

Findings

The structure of the governance networks leads us to the conclusion that stakeholders are expected to be knowledge providers instead of being knowledge co-producers.

Originality/value

The networks demonstrate that the process of sharing knowledge and values is not recognised as an important element of participatory groups and efforts made to build a collective identity are too scarce.

Details

Contingency, Behavioural and Evolutionary Perspectives on Public and Nonprofit Governance
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78560-429-4

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 16 June 2023

Mohammad Ali Fallah, Mehrdad Agha Mohammad Ali Kermani, Alireza Moini and Javad Mashayekh

The present research is trying to construct the network of relationships between different department of an organization during the design and development of car engine. Analyzing…

Abstract

Purpose

The present research is trying to construct the network of relationships between different department of an organization during the design and development of car engine. Analyzing the structure of the network, finding the patterns of collaborations, and determining the important departments are the main purposes of the present research.

Design/methodology/approach

Improving relationships during a project life is an effective way to enhance employee performance in project-oriented organizations. This paper examines the collaborative relationships between internal project stakeholders through social network analysis (SNA) in a project for the design and development of car engine. In the first step of the research, the network of internal stakeholders was studied based on collaboration in the common activities performed by the resources. Then, the network of correspondences between internal stakeholders was studied. Finally, the two networks were integrated into a single network.

Findings

In the integrated network, the “fuel and combustion department” had the largest degree centrality (i.e. highest collaboration with others). The “integration department” was found to have the highest closeness centrality (i.e. more rapid access to other nodes). Furthermore, the “procurement department” had the highest betweenness centrality (i.e. the most strategic department). Our results revealed the potential capabilities of SNA method for the project management in the vehicle industry.

Originality/value

The obtained results of the present research show us the value of applying SNA methods and concepts to analyze the inter-organizational network of the Project Stakeholders relationship.

Details

Kybernetes, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0368-492X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 August 2017

Noel Biseko Lwoga

The purpose of this paper is to apply stakeholder and network theories to explore local collaboration network, its structural features and their implications to the management of…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to apply stakeholder and network theories to explore local collaboration network, its structural features and their implications to the management of the built heritage.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper applies stakeholder and network analyses. It follows a case study approach using multiple data collection methods such as the documentary analysis, and semi-structured interviews with 22 local stakeholders in the Pangani Conservation Task Force’s (PCTF’s) in Tanzania. It subjects the data to thematic analysis through the NVivo program, and to network analysis through the UCINET and NETDRAW programs.

Findings

This paper indicates that the PCTF is composed of heterogeneous stakeholders who are networked in a less cohesive structure, whereby the collaboration system is dominated by conservation actors while marginalizing tourism and some local resident groups. This structure, despite its inherent disadvantages, was found to enhance the achievement of PCTF’s conservation goals in the short term.

Research limitations/implications

The single case study approach makes generalizing beyond the study area difficult. Nevertheless, the findings raise relevant issues for further multiple-case investigations on collaboration systems from a built heritage perspective.

Originality/value

This paper is the first insightful exploration of the stakeholder collaboration system in the local built heritage site in Tanzania, using both the stakeholder and network analyses. It presents a useful tool for organizational analysis in heritage management and makes a good argument for its use to better understand participatory management.

Details

Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development, vol. 7 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2044-1266

Keywords

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