Jepsen, Ann Lund; Eskerod, Pernille: Stakeholder analysis in projects – Challenges in using current guidelines in the real world; in: International Journal of Project Management, in press. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijproman.2008.04.002Update the article has been published in: International Journal of Project Management, Vol. 27 (2009), No. 4, pp. 335-343.In this small group experiment the authors presented four project managers with the task to analyse their stakeholders. The participants needed to identify, characterise, and decide how to influence stakeholders. To characterise them the project managers defined which contributions they needed from each stakeholder, what they would use a reward for contributing, and which power relationship linked manager and stakeholder.The participating managers (all managing renewal projects) identified a list of challenges they faced during this task
- Comprehensiveness – How do I ensure that I identified all stakeholders? Is my list exhaustive?
- Simplification – Can I treat some of them as a group?
- Foresight – How can I ensure I specified all needed contributions upfront?
- Biases – Ethical dilemmas, prejudices, generalisations about stakeholders
- Tools – Suggested questionnaires are not practical, it’s hard to gather focus groups
Nevertheless Jepsen & Eskerod found two approaches that worked quite well – (1) Meetings with groups of stakeholders and (2) Initiating two-way interactions and discussions with stakeholders.Involve them early, involve them constantly!