Experiencias nacionales y resultados financieros

An important basis for this research is to show how authors in the field of stakeholder management as well as in the field of HRM see the network that surrounds an organisation or the network where an organisation is embedded. The intention of this chapter is not to only show how different authors see an entire organisation embedded in a network. More importantly, it is beneficial to show the main stakeholders relevant for the HR department of the focal organisation and how the network looks from the perspective of the HRM.

In his 2009 article ‘A stakeholder’s perspective on Human Resource Management’, Ferrary created an overview of external stakeholders that are relevant for an organisation’s HR department (see Table 2). This overview does not only name those stakeholders. Ferrary also investigated those stakeholders’ interests that may also

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influence or even drive their willingness for a potential stakeholder engagement. When having a look at the named actors or stakeholders, it is clearly visible that Ferrary had a closer look at the political side covering different political representatives (Ferrary, 2009).

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Table 2: System of stakeholders¹³

13 Ferrary, 2009, p. 39.

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As mentioned above, it is not only necessary to see the organisation’s HR department in the surrounding network, but to see it being embedded in the stakeholder network. This implies that on the one hand we have to step back from the idea that the focal department is in any case the centre of a network. Furthermore, the attention needs not only to be paid to the connections between the department and its stakeholders, but also on interlinks between the stakeholders themselves. This is the crucial difference between a traditional perspective on the stakeholder network and the new perspective or understanding of it. Ferrary used the example of a director in an organisation to demonstrate a politico-economic system centred on him or her on the one hand, and on the other hand a director who is embedded in the stakeholder network where he or she is active (Ferrary, 2009).

Figure 2: A politico economic system centred on a director and embedded in the system¹⁴

14 Ferrary, 2009, p. 40.

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In Freeman’s 2010 book Strategic Management, he shows the HR department of an organisation together with its relevant stakeholders (see Figure 3 below). Unlike the model from Ferrary, Freeman does not provide a network view where the department is embedded in the stakeholder network. Therefore, it serves only for providing a second side on the list of potential stakeholders existing for HR departments. However, Freeman’s model is focused on the activities of HRM with the HR manager in the centre mainly covering the central stakeholders. In contradiction to Ferrary, Freeman leaves out those stakeholders who are not necessarily of great importance or have direct connections to the HR department. Therefore, Freeman’s model is considered to be of greater importance to this piece of research despite the fact that it does not show the embeddedness of the HR department in the stakeholder network.

Figure 3: Typical stakeholder map for personnel managers¹⁵

In this regard, it has to be stated that there is not one list of stakeholders or one system that can provide a full overview of the relevant stakeholders. Furthermore, not only is

15 Freeman, 2010, p. 231.

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completeness important, but also the different surroundings of the HR departments depending on the economic environment, the country, and also the industry. This limits the usage of such stakeholder lists or systems significantly. Nevertheless, the consequence of this is that models provided by different authors like Ferrary or Freeman can serve as a good starting point for an investigation. However, if the intention is to get a full overview of the stakeholder network of an organisation’s HR department, an internal and external investigation has to be undertaken.¹⁶

When the stakeholder network of an organisation’s HR department has been mapped and the connections to the stakeholders as well as the linkages among the stakeholders have to a certain extent been researched, the next phase can be tackled.¹⁷ The first basic and logical step is the simple recognition of such a stakeholder map that demonstrates the linkages. Out of the reflection with that map and therefore the adoption of the stakeholder perspective, potential risks and benefits of an active management of that network can be defined.

Potential risks and benefits for recruitment

Providing a complete list of potential risks and benefits for the recruitment of an organisation arising from a change of perspective is not possible. Naturally, for this a basic list needs to be set up which then is reflected on and also extended during the interviews following the idea of the grounded theory. A start for such a list of potential benefits and risks is provided by Sachs et al. (2007a). Throughout several in-depth case studies, Sachs, Rühli and Kern have been able to come up with a list of potential benefits and risks that have been mentioned during multiple interviews and multiple organisations in connection with stakeholder engagements. However, the usage of this code list is of limited value as it covers the perceived risks and benefits only on a very general level. That means that no specific codes for recruitment are contained and therefore need to be added throughout the interviews for the analysis.

16 For this please see the Stakeholder Value Management System (SHVMS) in Chapter 2.5.2.

17 Here a reference should be given to Granovetter (1973 and 1983) who has done first work on analysing those relationships or links and differentiated them into so called weak ties (acquaintances)and strong ties (close friends).

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Table 3: List of perceived risks and benefits¹⁸

In addition, it needs to be mentioned that this list of potential risks and benefits is not something that is necessarily visible in practice. Those named points demonstrate the perceptions of the involved people and do not automatically mean that those risks are realistic or that those named benefits can be achieved during an engagement process.

The reflection on the stakeholder map and the perceptions about the risks and benefits regarding recruitment is the crucial part of this research and also sets its limitations.

Reflecting on this map and finding risks and benefits for the focal organisation and its

18 Based on Sachs et al., 2007a, pp. 34-35.

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HR department is of essential importance. However, this also means that this study does not intend to go much further and, for example, follow organisations through such activation of the stakeholder network or an engagement.