Managing Stakeholder Engagement

Task 1

A stakeholder analysis entails a systematic process of gathering and analyzing quantitative information to establish whose concern should be considered when making a policy. Organizations are increasingly using stakeholder engagement as a critical strategy for refining external stakeholder relations and policy development (Kivits, 2011). The stakeholders identified as important for the project includes senior executives of the organization, non-governmental organizations as alliance partners, shareholders, environmental analysts, the government, the press, and the community (Thompson, n.d.). The priority stakeholders will include environment impact assessors, environmental toxic tort policymakers, and members of the national assembly. The key characteristics of the stakeholders include; position and organization, prowess of the policy, position with respect to the policy, alliances, the quantity of available resources, and leadership abilities (Schmeer, 1999). The project’s stakeholders have financial interests that fluctuate depending on the category and roles played in the process of policy making.

Incorporating stakeholders in a policy making process provides an opportunity for the project t to include decisions of the group of people mostly affected by the organizations. Nonetheless, it is significant to note that stakeholder engagement entails complex and dynamic relationships that are sensitive, but critical to the process of developing a policy. The diversity in stakeholder, in terms of interests and expectation, requires flexible and specialized engagement tools (Kivits, 2011).

Task 2

Stakeholder analysis is a pre-requisite for stakeholder engagement. After the identification of stakeholders’ power and interest in the environmental policy, it is imperative to develop the methods of engaging the priority stakeholders. The methods for engaging the stakeholders include press notices, interviews, one-on-one phone interviews, questionnaires, exhibitions, and holding public meetings (O’Haire et al., 2011). The distribution of the methods of engaging the stakeholders is as shown in figure 1

Figure 1: Distribution chart for the methods of engaging the stakeholders

The distribution of the engagement methods shown in figure 1 are weighed in percentages. So as to expedite the engagement course, the project plan and activities will be relayed to the stakeholder through print and electronic media. Additionally, invitation letters and electronic mails will be used to communicate to the stakeholders (Waters, Burnett, Lamm, & Lucas, 2009).

Task 3: Aide-memoir

As the project leader, I intend to develop a relationship marketing protocol and synchronized with the sales and promotion department but, focus on the stakeholders. I will prioritize the wants of the stakeholders and ensure that the ongoing communication between the project team and the stakeholders is succinct and is initiated by our policy team. Additionally, during workshops and public meetings, I will table and consequently educate the stakeholders on programs that will support them in arriving at decisions that relate to the project (Lozano, 2005). I will also demonstrate my dedication towards improving their lives so that they can draw a parallel between my actions and the policy project (Meacham, Williams, & Larson, 2009). Finally, I will treat the stakeholders as the clients and key determinants of the outcome of the project. As an ambassador of the project, I will elicit curiosity among the stakeholders and encourage them to share the policy information (Larson & Williams, 2009).

Internal Memo

TO: Environmental Policy Project Team

FROM: Project leader

RE: Monitoring and reviewing stakeholder engagement

DATE: 5/11/2014

I’m writing to inform that we will soon embark on an effort to concoct and implement a project “monitoring and reviewing stakeholder engagement.” As known to you, we are in the process of developing an environmental policy which requires the active participation of the stakeholders. Therefore, it is paramount that we monitor and evaluate stakeholder engagement in the process (O’riordan & Fairbrass, 2014).

The core factors to be considered in monitoring and reviewing stakeholder engagement will include the evaluation of:

Trust developed

Effectiveness of communication

Individual participation

Strategic contribution

The monitoring team will constitute people from different departments of the organization and will explore the identified stakeholder engagement issues.

Task 4

Stakeholders’ views on the policy will be elicited by use of follow-up on the different methods of engagements. For instance, a follow-up on interviews giving the brief description of personal responses would spark-off discussion between the stakeholders during the meeting (Jeremy, 2005). Therefore, discussion with specific references to stakeholders’ opinion during the engagement will be a critical method of eliciting views on the policy. To gain the validation and support for the policies, I will ensure that each understands the importance of the policy. I also ensure that the policy is aligned with the interest of the stakeholders’, especially key decision makers.

To conclude, the management of stakeholder engagement is an essential process in making strategic decisions especially in making policies. It involves an in-depth analysis of stakeholder characteristics and the mandatory monitoring and assessment tools that ensure its success. The validation and acceptance of a developed policy depends on the strategies used to build and manage the stakeholder relationship.