From monologue to dialogue: Key considerations for an approach to multiple stakeholder engagement

Abstract

Amidst challenges of economic uncertainty, resource constraints, social movement and unrest, increased pressure is placed on organisations to address diverse stakeholder expectations. Stakeholders are central to the success of an organisation, and this fact compels the latter to engage, be more transparent and respond to stakeholder concerns. Stakeholder engagement is an integral part of ensuring organisational sustainability and success, as it utilises strategic direction and operational excellence to serve as tools for competitive advantage. Contemporary organisations have realised there are opportunities to be derived from changing the nature of organisation–stakeholder relationships, from control to collaboration, from exchange to engagement. With the emergence of strategic communication as an all-encompassing function to achieve the mission of the organisation, the task of the strategic communication professional is to facilitate stakeholder engagement strategies that will elicit evolutionary and mutually defined dialogue, consultation and reciprocal relationships. Although the concept of stakeholder engagement is not new, and there is consensus in the existing literature on its significance, there is no common understanding on what it actually entails. Furthermore, there is a dearth of literature on approaching stakeholder engagement from multiple vantage points, and on the role of the strategic communication professional in facilitating the stakeholder engagement process. To address the need for theory building in the field, this article aims to highlight key considerations (from the literature) for an approach to multiple stakeholder engagement from a strategic communication perspective. This, to provide a strategy for continuous engagement which will result in sustainable relationship building with strategic stakeholders, as well as short-term, secondary stakeholder engagement on the basis of working relationships.