Global Compact International Yearbook 2013
17
Stakeholder management therefore has its greatest significance
as an essentially defensive risk-management measure (67%).
Its claims of being a tool for corporate reputation-building are
based, above all, on the understanding of stakeholder relations
primarily operating through the media: Media and commu-
nications divisions often explain their roles in the firm with
reference to their contributions to reputation management.
However, stakeholder management has its greatest impact as
a strategic instrument for defending a corporation’s ability
to maneuver freely. This is especially the case when all of
the relevant stakeholders and opinion leaders are brought
into a process at an early stage. Among those charged with
this responsibility in companies, 36 percent see stakeholder
management as playing a role in conflict management in
cases where there is resistance from critical stakeholder
groups. A failure to involve critics would lead to ignorance
of relevant viewpoints and a misperception of influencing
and campaigning capacities. This effectively also means that
stakeholder management must, in the future, become an ob-
ligatory element of decision-making and planning processes
(
currently 37%).
Significant variations in views of the role between sectors
The perceived role of stakeholder management varies, some-
times greatly, between sectors. In the retail (92%), life science
(71%),
banking and insurance (72%), and energy (68%) sectors,
it is above all relationship management which plays the big-
gest role. In life science (57%) and in the technology sector
(56%)
by contrast, stakeholder management is principally
an obligatory element in the decision-making and planning
process. This shows that there are indeed differences between
sectors in terms of the significance and application of stake-
holder management.
The reason for these differences in (the case of) pharmaceutical
companies is that they are dependent on systematic stake-
holder management in the licensing process for drugs. And
the retail sector too has great experience, going back over a
long period, in the management of complex stakeholder rela-
tions, on account of its business model. This relies heavily on
stable relationships and efficient processes between producers,
suppliers and consumers.
In contrast, the energy policy debate in all three countries
surveyed reflects the role of stakeholder management in con-
flict management and lobbying. In the energy sector (59%),
stakeholder management means principally dealing with critics
and involving critical interest groups. This also applies to the
technology sector (50%). Here, stakeholder management is
known almost only in the context of project management. So
when large investments need to be made in IT infrastructure,
internal stakeholders often have to be integrated throughout,
and from an early stage, in conception and implementation
by means of an appropriate project structure.
Agenda
Stakeholder Management
Klaus Lintemeier is CEO, Partner,
and Founder of the communications
consultancy Lintemeier Stakeholder
Relations, Munich / Vienna.
He advises on strategic issues,
stakeholder communications, and
change management.
Dr. Lars Rademacher is Professor
of Corporate Communications and
Course Leader for media management
at the MHMK in Munich.
His research areas are CSR; compliance
and reputation; strategic and leadership
communications.
Dr. Ansgar Thiessen is Managing
Director of Knobel Corporate Communi-
cations AG, Steinhausen, Switzerland.
He advises family firms, medium-sized
enterprises, and international holding
companies in situations critical to their
success and on strategic processes.