Stakeholder engagement: Theoretical and methodological directions for project scholarship

Abstract

In our introduction to this Special Issue on Project Stakeholder Engagement, we emphasize the imperative for a deeper understanding of stakeholder phenomena in the context of temporary organizations. Our argument addresses the growing need for organizational strategies that focus on more inclusive approaches, the moral foundations of stakeholder thinking, and the necessity of considering marginalized groups. Recent debates in management and organizational scholarship have conveyed a key message to organizations: the need for them to contribute to a more cohesive and sustainable world. However, this paradigm shift from stakeholder ‘management’ to ‘engagement’ also presents new challenges for (project) organizations as they seek to address and balance the needs and demands of multiple stakeholders. Such approaches require more collaborative and inclusive structures to tackle pressing social issues and to recognize a broader array of stakeholders in value-creation processes. Against this backdrop, the focus of this Special Issue is on advancing theory and evidence related to the nature, aims, processes, and consequences of stakeholder engagement in temporary organizations. We summarize the contributions of each of the six articles that make up this Special Issue, noting in particular their methodological and theoretical diversity. In conclusion, we propose a future research agenda on project stakeholder engagement, inspired by the ideas and insights developed in this Special Issue.