PAPERS
Project Management Journal, Vol. 46, No. 6, 42–53
© 2015 by the Project Management Institute
Published online in Wiley Online Library
(wileyonlinelibrary.com). DOI: 10.1002/pmj.21546
42 ...
PAPERS
Project Management Journal, Vol. 46, No. 6, 42–53
© 2015 by the Project Management Institute
Published online in Wiley Online Library
(wileyonlinelibrary.com). DOI: 10.1002/pmj.21546
42 December 2015/January 2016 ? Project Management Journal ? DOI: 10.1002/pmj
ABSTRACT ?
According to research, stakeholder disap-
pointment is a root problem within proj-
ects. In this article, the dilemmas related to
stakeholder inclusiveness, in other words,
engaging a broad range of stakeholders,
are discussed. Based on a longitudinal
case study, three propositions are offered:
Applying stakeholder inclusiveness in a
project (1) increases the likelihood of more
engaged and satisfied stakeholders; (2)
increases the danger of losing focus on
those stakeholders who possess the most
critical resources for the project’s survival
and progress; and (3) increases the danger
of inducing stakeholder disappointment
due to expectation escalation and impos-
sibility of embracing conflicting require-
ments and wishes.
KEYWORDS: stakeholder inclusiveness,
managing stakeholders, managing for
stakeholders, management for stakehold-
ers, management of stakeholders, general
stakeholder theory, critical incidents tech-
nique, case study
Stakeholder Inclusiveness: Enriching
Project Management with General
Stakeholder Theory
1
Pernille Eskerod, Webster University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
Martina Huemann,
WU Vienna University of Economics and Business, Vienna, Austria
Claudia Ringhofer,
WU Vienna University of Economics and Business, Vienna, Austria
INTRODUCTION ?
T
o meet or exceed stakeholder needs and expectations, in other words,
identified and unidentified requirements and to balance these among
stakeholders if the requirements are competing, is a core task within
project management (Project Management Institute [PMI], 2008) and
has been so since Cleland’s work (1985) on the topic was published more
than 25 years ago. The topic continuously gains considerable attention within
project management research and practice (see, e.g., Aaltonen, 2010; Eskerod
& Vaagaasar, 2014; Karlsen, 2002; Littau, Jujagiri, & Adlbrecht, 2010). Still
though, stakeholder disappointment is reported as a root problem that causes
many unsuccessful projects (see, e.g., Dalcher, 2009; Jepsen & Eskerod, 2009).
Killen and colleagues state that “most PM research… remain[s] largely
atheoretical” (Killen, Jugdev, Drouin, & Petit, 2012, p. 526) and suggest that
project management research can be advanced by drawing more upon estab-
lished theories within other fields. Because a project can be considered a
temporary organization (Lundin & Söderholm, 1995), it is reasonable to draw
on theories developed for other types of organizations, such as permanent
organizations like private and public companies. Therefore, the aim of this
article is to investigate whether theoretical developments on stakeholder
theory related to permanent
