This document provides an overview of stakeholder analysis and engagement for environmental research projects. It discusses identifying stakeholders, differentiating and prioritizing them based on their interests and influence. Methods for stakeholder analysis include matrices mapping relationships. Engagement allows accessing diverse knowledge and ensuring quality and usefulness of research. However, challenges include stakeholder fatigue if past engagement did not deliver, and power imbalances within engagement activities.

1. Stakeholder analysis and stakeholder
engagement
Methods & Applications (ESA22806)
26 May 2023
Kasper Kok

2. Drought -> water for nature or farmers ?
https://www.mdba.gov.au/basin-plan/plan-murray-darling-basin
Murray Darling River Management Plan

3. Protests against Nitrogen and PFAS
regulations in NL

4. Purpose of this lecture & related
literature
o Understand what is Stakeholder Analysis
o Understand why stakeholder analysis &
engagement is crucial in ESA
o Understand basic approaches for
Stakeholder Engagement in research
projects
o Understand opportunities and challenges of
stakeholder engagement

5. ESA Tools in the Flex Step Method
Stakeholder
engagement

6. Compulsory literature
 Part 1, 3 and 5 of Durham E., Baker H., Smith M., Moore E. &
Morgan V. (2014). The BiodivErsA Stakeholder Engagement
Handbook. BiodivERsA, Paris (108 pp)

7. Additional literature
 Reed, M.S., et al., 2009 - Who's in and why- A typology of
stakeholder analysis methods for natural resource management.
Journal of Environmental Management 90: 1933-1040
 Reed, M.S., 2008. Stakeholder participation for environmental
management: A literature review. Biological Conservation 141,
10: 2417-2431
 Mauser W., et al. 2013. Transdisciplinary global change
research: the co-creation of knowledge for sustainability.
Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability 5: 420-431

8. Potential follow-up course
 “Engaging stakeholders to solve complex environmental
problems” (ESA32306)
● Period 4
● Focus on modelling techniques and scenarios
● Practice-oriented course with hands-on learning of
stakeholder-interaction skills
● Fun!

9. What are stakeholders?
 Everybody...
 Actors (individuals or groups) that can affect or are
being affected by the decision-making on an
environmental issue
(cf. Freeman 1984, Van de Kerkhof 2001)
 “Persons or groups that have, or claim, ownership,
rights, or interests in a (decision making process) and
its activities, past, present, or future”
(Brugha and Varvasovsky, 2000)

10. What is a stakeholder analysis?
“An approach and procedure for gaining an understanding
of a system by identifying key actors or stakeholders in
the system, and assessing their respective interests in that
system”
(Grimble and Chan, 1995)

11. What is a stakeholder analysis?
A process that:
 defines aspects of a social and natural phenomenon
affected by a decision or action
 identifies individuals, groups, and organisations who are
affected by or can affect those parts of the phenomenon
 prioritises these individuals and groups for involvement
in the decision-making process
(Reed et al. 2009)

12. What is a stakeholder analysis?
Three steps:
1. Identifying stakeholders
2. Differentiating between and categorising stakeholders
3. Investigating relationships between stakeholders
(Reed et al. 2009)

13. 1:Identifying stakeholders and their stakes
 Method:
● checklist of likely stakeholder categories, expert
opinions, focus groups, semi-structured interviews,
snow-ball sampling
● Iterative process!
 Difficulties
● How to include all relevant stakeholders
 Analyst should use well-founded criteria depending on
the focus of the analysis
(Reed et al. 2009)

14. 2:Differentiating & categorising
Top-down analytical approaches, i.e. done by the
analyst(s) and based on theoretical perspective how the
system functions
● Using e.g. influence-interest matrices
● Identifying “Key players”, “Context setters”,
“Subjects”, “Crowd”
● Other criteria: e.g., supportive - unsupportive
Bottom-up stakeholder-led categorisation, based on
empirical analysis of stakeholder perceptions
(Reed et al. 2009)

15. Interest
Low
High
Influence
Low
High
Context setter
Subjects
Key players
Crowd
(See Reed et al. 2009)

16. Categorisation based on empirical analysis
(“stakeholder onion diagram”)

17. 3: Investigating stakeholder relationships
 Actor-linkage matrices
● Creating a grid indicating relationships among
stakeholders with key-words such as conflict,
complementary, cooperation
 Social Network Analysis
● Provides more in-depth insights into patterns of
communication and relationships
 Knowledge mapping
● Analyses the content of information
(Reed et al. 2009)

18. Actor-linkage matrix
Local Level Regional
Level
National Level N/
G
Park
Manag
Purisil
Villa
Mills
CT
MM
CT
Orosi
TBOrosi
TB
Orosi’
s
TBMM
Monte
Sky
CATIE
ACLAP+CA
ICT
MINAE
FONAFIFO
ICE
AyA
Tourists
Local
Level
Local
Level
Park Managers
Purisil
Villa Mills
CT MM
CTOrosi
TB Orosi
TB Orosi’ s
TB MM
Monte Sky
Reg.
level
CATIE
ACLAP +other CA
National
Level
ICT
MINAE
FONAFIFO
ICE
AyA
N/G Tourists
Maintenance of
Biodiversity
conflict Abbreviations
TB: Tourism Businesses
MM: Macizo de la Muerte
CT: Chamber of Tourism
Orosi’ s : Orosi Surroundings
CA : Conservation Areas
Reg.: Regional
N/G level: National and Global level
Disagreement
Reproach
Strong Cooperation
Cooperation
Local Level
Regional Level
National Level
Global Level

19. Purpose of this lecture
o Understand what Stakeholder Analysis is
o Understand why stakeholder analysis &
engagement is crucial in ESA
o Understand basic approaches for
stakeholder engagement in research
projects
o Understand opportunities and challenges of
stakeholder engagement

20. ESA Tools in the Flex Step Method
Stakeholder
engagement

21. What is stakeholder engagement?
The active involvement and participation of stakeholders
in some or most aspects of a research project
 This involvement may range from sharing information
(c.f. step 3 dissemination) to driving the research
direction (c.f. step 1 problem formulation)
 The involvement may differ in different stages of a
project (i.e. a mix of levels of engagement)
(Durnham 2014)

22. Why stakeholder engagement?
www.menti.com
Code: 8359 1542

23. Why stakeholder engagement?
o Access to different types of knowledge among stakeholders
o Account for different perspectives and values
o Get better insight in the nature and structure of the problem
o Ensure quality of the project, reviewed from different perspectives
o Have access to creative problem-solving capacity of group
o Ensure results are useful to users
o Get user commitment to results
o Democratisation: enable participants to be involved/create options
o Reach consensus – define one option or decision
(See also reasons listed by Durham (2014:27))

24. Why stakeholder engagement?
“When scientists question the ability of stakeholders to
participate in solving complex problems, they
overestimate their own partial knowledge of the system”
– proposition 3, PhD thesis Frans Hermans

25. “Science for impact” (WUR-motto)
Engage all stakeholders in a joint dialogue early on to avoid
misunderstandings or even dis-information
Murray-Darling River Management Plan
Drought -> Water for nature or farmers ?
Find balance between science ((too) detailed facts),
policy (over-simplification & competing interests) and
practice (short term and ‘single’ interests/needs)

26. Why stakeholder engagement?
~4 inaccuracies per entry ~3 inaccuracies per entry
(Nature, 15 december 2005)

27. Example: Participatory mapping of air quality in the
UK
 knowledge
Participants’ map (cyclists) –
stakeholder knowledge
Modeled Air quality of Bristol (SW UK)
(Yearly et al. 2003)

28. Example: Participatory mapping of air quality in the
UK
 knowledge
Air Quality Management Area
(Yearly et al. 2003)
Participants’ map (cyclists) –
stakeholder knowledge

29. Various problems & stakeholder engagement
Consensus on values
Robustness
of
knowledge
Moderately structured
Scientific problem
Structured problem
Unstructured problem Moderately structured
Political-ethical problem
No need for participation
Knowledge production:
scientists and hands-on
experts
low
low
high
high
Knowledge gathering and
exploring values: involve
broad group of
stakeholders
Explore values: involve
broad group of
stakeholders early
(Hisschemöller and Hoppe 1996,
MNP Guidance 2007)

30. Various problems & stakeholder engagement
(Hisschemöller and Hoppe, 1996)
Consensus
on
values
Robustness of knowledge
Moderately structured
Scientific problem
Structured problem
Unstructured problem Moderately structured
Political-ethical problem
CFC ozone layer
Particulate Matter
Environmental norms for
carcinogenic substances
Climate Change
low
low
high
high

31. Stakeholder engagement: two examples
Watch the examples of stakeholder engagement:
 Mapping air pollution in Mukuru, Nairobi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26RtAcLUjE0
 Stakeholder engagement in IPBES
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJxOq5DUmHE&t=28s
 Which advantages of stakeholder engagement are
mentioned?
 What are differences and what are similarities between
the involvement of stakeholders in these two projects?

32. Purpose of this lecture
o Understand what Stakeholder Analysis is
o Understand why stakeholder analysis &
engagement is crucial in ESA
o Understand basic approaches for
Stakeholder Engagement in research
projects
o Understand opportunities and challenges of
stakeholder engagement

33. Levels of stakeholder
engagement

34. collaboration: stakeholders and scientists
are partners, drive the research direction,
contribute resources and perspectives (co-
production: i.e. integrating insights using
values and criteria from both communities)
Stakeholders are involved to provide
resources or data or are fully engaged
Stakeholders are consulted for opinions or
information
Stakeholders are informed
No participation
Levels of engagement in research
Level
of
engagement
low
high
z
z z
Non-interactive
Interactive
No

35. Stakeholder engagement in research
– an increasing practice
 Consultancy
 Citizen science
 Participatory mapping
 Community-based participatory research
 Action research
 Transdisciplinary research
 ...

36. (Mauser et al. 2013)
Co-design and co-production of
knowledge requires the
involvement of researchers
and stakeholders during
the entire research
process

37. When involving stakeholders in research
Decide:
1. Why stakeholder engagement?
• Aim of stakeholder engagement
• Identify benefits for stakeholders
• Understand your stakeholders
2. How?
• Plan you engagement carefully
3. Who to involve?
• Select the stakeholder carefully
4. Select methods for engagement

38. When involving stakeholders in research
Tips:
● Make sure all team members understands why stakeholder
engagement is used
● Process is very important!
● Stakeholder selection: representative or not?
● Reproducibility of results
● Process facilitation: to deal with power relations, to ensure
trust among participants, to manage expectations
● Hire a facilitator

39. Identifying stakeholders
for a research project

40. Identifying stakeholders for a research
project
 Stage 1: Who are your stakeholders?
 Stage 2: Assess, analyse and prioritise
 Stage 3: Understand your stakeholders
Iterative process!
(Durnham, 2014)

41. Stage 1: Who are your stakeholders?
Examples of categories
Policy makers
Consider local, national and international scales
Scientists & researchers
Professional groups
Land owners and managers
Local communities
Business & Industry
NGO’s
Media
Students
Educators
General public

42. Methods to identify key stakeholders
 Brainstorm
 Consult colleagues
 Develop a mind map
 Use government statistics and data
 Initiate self-selection by encouraging
individuals to step forward
 Snowball sampling techniques
 Use existing lists
 Consult with forums used by governments
and other organisations
Be careful not to overlook
stakeholder groups!

43. Create a (preliminary) list of stakeholders: who should be involved?
Stakeholder Interest (+/-) Influence (+/-) Other criteria
Questions to ask:
• what do they want or expect from the project?
• what are the likely benefits for them?
• what interests do they have that may conflict with the project?
• how does the stakeholder regard others, and is regarded by
others on the list?
(See also Durham, 2014: 36-40)

44. Stage 2: Assess, analyse and prioritise stakehl.
Stakeholders can be categorized according to:
 Degree of impact/interest/dependence:
● those who are affected by or interested in the
project or policy
 Level of influence/ power:
● those who can directly influence the (outcome of)
project or policy
 Spatial distribution:
● those who operate at macro, meso and micro level
(e.g. international, national, regional, local off-site,
and local on-site)

45. Example interest-influence matrix
Name Interest
H/M/L
What aspects
of the
research are
they likely to
be interested
in?
How to
motivate
engagement?
Key messages
from your
research for
this group
Influence
H/M/L
Comments on
influence
Key
contact(s)
and best way
of contacting
them

46. Stage 3: Understand your stakeholders
 What are stakeholders’ relationships?
 What relevant knowledge do they possess?
 What are their views about the project and its
outcomes?
 What are appropriate means of communication?
 Are they willing to participate?
 ...

47. Stakeholder interaction matrix
Local Level Regional
Level
National Level N/
G
Park
Manag
Purisil
Villa
Mills
CT
MM
CT
Orosi
TBOrosi
TB
Orosi’
s
TBMM
Monte
Sky
CATIE
ACLAP+CA
ICT
MINAE
FONAFIFO
ICE
AyA
Tourists
Local
Level
Local
Level
Park Managers
Purisil
Villa Mills
CT MM
CTOrosi
TB Orosi
TB Orosi’ s
TB MM
Monte Sky
Reg.
level
CATIE
ACLAP +other CA
National
Level
ICT
MINAE
FONAFIFO
ICE
AyA
N/G Tourists
Maintenance of
Biodiversity
conflict Abbreviations
TB: Tourism Businesses
MM: Macizo de la Muerte
CT: Chamber of Tourism
Orosi’ s : Orosi Surroundings
CA : Conservation Areas
Reg.: Regional
N/G level: National and Global level
Disagreement
Reproach
Strong Cooperation
Cooperation
Local Level
Regional Level
National Level
Global Level

48. Stakeholders diagram indicating the
dimensions of influence & impact and
the relationships between stakeholders
concerning household waste
management in Vršac, Serbia.
(from EUW-report 2019-Period 1)

49. Levels of
&
methods for
engagement

50. Collaborate
Interest
Low
High
Influence
Low
High
Involve
Consult
Inform
Inform: monitor these
and keep them
adequately updated
tailoring communication
Involve: inform these
adequately and
maintain regular
contact to ensure no
issues are arising
Collaborate: fully
engaged with these
Consult: provide these
with enough information
and interaction, but do
not overwhelm them

51. Engagement methods (Durham, 2014: Part 5)

52. Methods & tools
 Methods to engage with stakeholder
● See Durnham, 2014
 Methods & tools for coproducing knowledge
● https://naturalsciences.ch/topics/co-
producing_knowledge

53. Stakeholder Engagement & Flex Step
Expert
judgment
Stakeholder
engagement

54. Purpose of this lecture
o Understand what Stakeholder analysis is
o Understand why stakeholder analysis &
engagement is crucial in ESA
o Understand basic approaches for
stakeholder engagement in research
projects
o Understand opportunities and challenges of
stakeholder engagement

55. Benefits of stakeholder engagement
Distinguish benefits to:
 Research team
 Stakeholders
 Wider society
Benefits depend on level of engagement:
Inform, Consult, Involve, Collaborate

56. Potential benefits from stakeholder engagement
Durham, 2014:14

57. Challenges of stakeholder engagement
 Stakeholder fatigue
● e.g. when past engagement did not deliver
 Biased representation of stakeholders / stakeholders
missing
● may lead to questions about the legitimacy of
outcomes
 Power imbalances within stakeholder engagement
activities or lack of trust
 Short-term engagement
● e.g. because funding is limited
 Unrealistic high expectations
● cannot be met by the research project

58. Some concluding statements
 Stakeholder analysis: analytical tool that can be used in its own right
to understand the actors involved; their roles and their relationships
 Stakeholder analysis is always needed before SH engagement can
start
 Stakeholder engagement: the practical act of involving actors in the
(research) process
 There are different aims for SH engagement, depending on research
phase and type of stakeholder
 There are many, many methods to engage stakeholders as it is an
increasingly common practice
 There are large potential benefits, but also large risks in a process
that is always more complicated, more expensive, and more time
demanding

59. Group assignment - consider:
 Why stakeholder analysis (or stakeholder engagement)?
● Unstructured problem? Knowledge, Values, other?
 How stakeholder engagement
● See ESA steps
 Who to involve?
● Selection based on stakeholder analysis
 What level of engagement?
● Inform, Consult, Involve, Collaborate
 In what form? Methods for engagement