Title: Stakeholder engagement in a non-profit organisation: an issue-based perspective

Authors: Anna Heikkinen; Johanna Kujala; Maria Inha

Addresses: Faculty of Management, University of Tampere, FI-33014 University of Tampere, Finland ' Faculty of Management, University of Tampere, FI-33014 University of Tampere, Finland ' Faculty of Management, University of Tampere, FI-33014 University of Tampere, Finland

Abstract: The aim of this study is to gain insight into stakeholder engagement in a non-profit network organisation; it contributes to the literature on collaborative and cooperative understanding of stakeholder engagement by presenting an issue-based perspective of a non-profit organisation. The research is conducted as a qualitative case study, and multiple data sources are used to examine stakeholder engagement in the case organisation from two perspectives: 1) stakeholders and stakeholder relationships; 2) the issues and their salience as advocated by the stakeholders. It concludes that non-profit network organisations depend on their stakeholders for various resources. Because the continuation of a non-profit organisation is fully dependent on the support of its stakeholders, it can be viewed as an ultimate stakeholder organisation; here, joint activities create value for all parties involved, and the organisation practically exists through its stakeholders. These conclusions contribute to the stakeholder literature by extending the models to include non-profit organisations.

Keywords: stakeholder theory; stakeholder engagement; issue-based approach; non-profit organisations; NPOs; networks; case study.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHRDM.2019.097060

International Journal of Human Resources Development and Management, 2019 Vol.19 No.1, pp.5 - 20

Received: 09 Jun 2017
Accepted: 16 Jan 2018

Published online: 17 Dec 2018 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article