STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS. Rebecca J. Bailey, MSPH, CEd 4 April 2011

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1 World Health Organization STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS Rebecca J. Bailey, MSPH, CEd 4 April 2011 The success of educational reforms will depend upon creating a culture and environment that encourages enthusiastic, competent and committed participation by all persons who have an interest in, or influence on, the performance of the institution. Broad involvement creates access to more information, which enhances the quality of decision-making, increases support for conclusions and recommendations that flow from the process, and facilitates changes or improvements. The following offers guidance on how to identify relevant stakeholders, and how to strategically engage them in the process. Stakeholders are persons, groups or institutions with a direct or indirect interest in an activity, project or programme. Primary or internal stakeholders are those directly affected, such as administrators, teachers and students. Secondary or external stakeholders are those affected in an indirect or limited way, such as professional associations (within the same profession and in other applicable professions in the same sector), community organizations and regulatory bodies. Key stakeholders are those who can significantly influence the process, or are important to its success, or both. Influence refers to how powerful a stakeholder is. Importance refers to those stakeholders whose needs and interest are priority (e.g. students, current and potential employers). In some cases, important stakeholders may have weak capacity to participate, and limited power to influence key decisions, unless they are formally targeted and assisted to participate. Setting up special committees, councils or other arrangements may be needed to ensure that the views and needs of less influential key stakeholders are included. Health professions education tends to be shaped by three key stakeholders: The education provider, who is interested in a student s fitness for award in terms of the competencies and capabilities they are able to demonstrate during the academic programme; The potential employer, who is interested in a graduate's fitness for purpose in terms of the competencies and capabilities they are able to demonstrate in the workplace; and The professional and regulatory bodies, which are interested in the practitioner s fitness for practice in order to determine whether an individual is competent to be licensed/registered, and adequately supports the vision of the profession. A stakeholder analysis is a dynamic process that provides answers to the questions of which stakeholders should be involved, when, and how. It assesses the ability of each

2 stakeholder to contribute to or influence the process, and identifies the appropriate type of participation by different stakeholders at successive stages. Two key products of a stakeholder analysis are: a stakeholder framework; and a stakeholder engagement matrix. Both should be updated regularly as activities progress and new contacts, networks and structures surface. A Stakeholder Framework is a living record of stakeholders and their characteristics (see Template 1). It identifies the organizations and individuals who are in possession of facts and opinions that would contribute to the process, and who are affected in some way (positively or negatively) by the process. The focus should be on those stakeholders whose influence and power can have a significant effect on outcomes (see Box 1). Key informants can help to develop a preliminary stakeholder map or diagram. This information is then transferred to the framework. Stakeholders have different interests and levels of importance or influence. The framework should indicate the level and type of influence of each stakeholder. Influence is the ability of a stakeholder to control what decisions are made, facilitate the process, or negatively affect the process. Review and update the framework as new information comes to hand. Box 1. Some characteristics that affect influence and power Legal hierarchy (command and control, budget holders) Authority of leadership (formal and informal, charisma, political, familial or cadre connections) Degree of control of strategic resources Possession of specialist knowledge Negotiating position (strength in relation to other stakeholders) Social, economic and political status Degree of organization, consensus and leadership in the group Informal influence through links with other stakeholders Degree of dependence on other stakeholders An Engagement Matrix identifies the best ways to engage each stakeholder during each stage of the process (see Template 2). Levels of engagement range from involving the stakeholder as a partner, to managing through consultation, acknowledging by informing, or monitoring. At any stage of the process, different stakeholders may wish to participate in different ways, depending on the discrete activity. The engagement matrix should be adapted as the process evolves. World Health Organization

3 TEMPLATE 1: STAKEHOLDER FRAMEWORK Categories and Examples Representatives/ Contact Persons Mission/Motives Ability to Contribute Type of Contribution Incentive to Participate Barriers to participation Primary Stakeholders (Internal) Faculty/School/University (e.g. students, academic staff/faculty, administrative staff, advisory boards, alumni, relevant graduate schools, relevant technical colleagues) Practical Experience Sites (e.g. clinical staff, preceptors, administrators) Secondary Stakeholders (External) Current and Potential Employers of Graduates (e.g. relevant professional associations, relevant health care institutions, managers/ supervisors) Umbrella/Stakeholder Groups (e.g. national associations of relevant faculties or schools) Other Faculties or Schools (e.g. other faculties within the same institution, similar faculties within other institutions, graduate or professional schools, technical colleges, partner faculties in other countries) Communities/Civil Society (e.g. local government authorities, local NGOs, other professionals within the health sector, consumer groups) National Bodies (e.g. Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Social Welfare, Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Finance) 3

4 Categories and Examples Regulatory/Statutory bodies (e.g. quality assurance and/or accreditation bodies for higher education, national professional council and sub-committees, certifying or licensing bodies) Representatives/ Contact Persons Mission/Motives Ability to Contribute Type of Contribution Incentive to Participate Barriers to participation Relevant Business and Industry (e.g. retailers, industry) International Technical Bodies (e.g. international professional associations, relevant multilateral organizations such as WHO and UNESCO) Development Partners: (e.g. bilateral donors, international foundations or funds, international NGOs, researchers, private benefactors) Enthusiastic Individuals (e.g. opinion leaders, education and human resources experts, media representatives and personalities) 4

5 TEMPLATE 2. EXAMPLE ENGAGEMENT MATRIX Type of engagement Stage in the process Partnership (Involve) Consult (Manage) Inform (Acknowledge) Monitor (Observe) 1. <Activity 1> 2. <Activity 2> 3. <Activity 3> 4. <Activity 4> 5. <Activity 5> 6. <Activity 6> 7. <Activity 7> 8. <etc. > World Health Organization 5