A multi-level typology for stakeholder influence: A systematic literature review using the structural approach

Abstract

Despite growing research on stakeholder influence, there is a lack of consensus on the structural approach for stakeholder influence that considers the patterns of stakeholder relationships as a determinant of influence. To shed light on the full gamut of stakeholder influence, this study provides a systematic review of stakeholder influence literature while drawing on social network theory and resource dependency theory. Three levels of stakeholder influence are posited, namely the macro level (role of the environment in stakeholder influence), meso level (influence between a firm and stakeholders), and micro level (influence between stakeholders themselves embedded in the same network). The main theoretical and empirical themes identified in this review are incorporated to develop a new, multi-level stakeholder influence typology. To do so, the well-known topology of Frooman (“Stakeholder influence strategies", Academy of Management Review 24 (2) (1999), 191–205) is revisited using social network concepts of betweenness and closeness centrality. This review contributes to stakeholder influence theory, enabling authors to capitalize on the identified themes for future research attention.