Stakeholder analysis in a systems setting: An Active Travel case study in Ireland

Abstract

This chapter presents the application of systems thinking to analyse stakeholders in a systems setting to go beyond the usual stakeholder tools and descriptive insights. Using classic stakeholder theory augmented with macromarketing and systems thinking, the chapter illustrates how an understanding of the dynamics of stakeholders is important to address the stakes of stakeholders who are involved in the system. Using an Irish Active Travel case study, the results highlight the need for holistic approaches to complex and wicked problems, involving multiple stakeholders at multiple levels. The chapter also highlights the key research tasks to co-ordinate and integrate societal stakeholder and public engagement to move towards the collective identification of needs and development of consensus-based solutions, based on multicausal assumptions, paradigms, methods, and methodologies. Multi-stakeholder assessment that is systemic and holistic is the way forward. This incorporates multi-societal stakeholder research strategies to provide a rich and informative understanding of the causal dynamics at work between the diverse stakeholders.