MGMT7020 Chap.3 Stakeholders, Owners and the Project Network
Stakeholders, Owners and the Project Network
Who can shape a project
This chapter follows a ferry ticketing case through stakeholder mapping on a power and interest grid, the exercise the Week 2 seminar runs on a real infrastructure project.
Networks and owners
It then reads two course articles. Blackburn treats the project as a network the manager keeps assembling through problematisation, interessement, enrolment and mobilisation.
Winch and Leiringer describe the strategic, commercial and governance capabilities a strong owner needs, from project selection to asset integration.
Applying the readings together
The three ideas fit one story. The stakeholder map tells you who matters and how much. Blackburn explains how a manager actually keeps those people engaged over time, through documents, roles and regular reinforcement.
Winch and Leiringer then ask whether the owning organisation has the capability to govern, buy and absorb the project at all, which is where many public infrastructure projects run into trouble.
What this chapter covers
- 01
Power and interest stakeholder mapping
- 02
Engagement choices for each quadrant
- 03
Actor-network theory and project managers
- 04
Four moments of translation
- 05
Obligatory passage points
- 06
Strong owner capabilities in three groups
- 07
Packaging, assurance and asset integration
Worked example · free
Place five stakeholders for a hospital car park upgrade
- 2Board and council hold high power; the council's interest is narrow, so keep it satisfied with complete permit documents, while the board is managed closely through the steering committee.
- 1Night-shift nurses have high interest and low formal power: keep them informed and consult them on temporary parking and lighting.
- 1Residents have moderate interest and can gain power through complaints: inform them of noise hours and traffic changes before work starts.
- 1The contractor is managed through the contract and regular site meetings, as a performing-entity party rather than a stakeholder to persuade.
Key terms
- Stakeholder
- Any person or group that can affect a project or be affected by it.
- Actor-Network Theory
- An approach that treats people and things, such as plans and documents, as actors in one network.
- Translation
- The process by which one actor enrols and mobilises others into a network it has defined.
- Obligatory Passage Point
- A position in a network that other actors must pass through to reach their goals.
- Strong Owner
- An owner organisation with the capabilities to define, buy, govern and absorb its projects.
- Asset Integration
- The owner's task of bringing a finished asset into operation and beneficial use.
- Packaging
- Grouping the work breakdown into contract packages that suppliers can bid for and deliver.
Stakeholders, Owners and the Project Network FAQ
How many stakeholders should a stakeholder map include?
The Week 2 seminar asks teams to identify eight to twelve stakeholders for an infrastructure project before mapping them. The number matters less than covering every group that could affect the project or be affected by it, including groups without a formal voice.
What does actor-network theory add to project management?
It treats the project as a network of people and things, such as plans and deliverables, that the manager must keep assembling. Competence then depends partly on the alliances a manager builds and maintains, not only on personal skill.
What capabilities does a strong owner need?
Winch and Leiringer group them into strategic capabilities such as project selection and capital raising, commercial capabilities such as packaging and contracting, and governance capabilities such as assurance, project coordination and asset integration.
How often should a stakeholder map be updated?
At each stage of the lifecycle and whenever something changes power or interest, such as media attention, an election or a new funding decision. A map drawn once at initiation hides the movement that causes most late surprises.
Why do owners need capabilities if they hire contractors?
Because contractors deliver outputs, not the owner's strategy or benefits. Owners still have to choose projects, package and contract the work, assure progress and integrate the finished asset into operations, and those capabilities cannot simply be bought in.
What is an obligatory passage point in a project?
A position in the network that other actors must pass through to achieve their aims. Blackburn suggests candidates such as the project manager, steering group, sponsor, project plan or project support office; holding that position helps keep the network together.
Exam move
Draw one stakeholder map for a project you know and write an action and a reason for each stakeholder. Then retell the same project as a network, naming the moment of translation where it nearly fell apart. Add one sentence on which owner capability your example organisation seems weakest in, and why.
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