Putting stakeholders’ engagement in the equation: Proposing the integrated network engagement model

Research on engagement and relationships in the public relations literature tends to focus on individual stakeholders’ psychological states or traits. Researchers have not fully considered how stakeholders’ social environments impact their engagement with organizations. To advance theorizing on engagement and relationships, this study considers stakeholders’ social environments by examining the social ties they activate when engaging with an organization. Thus, we propose and examine the Integrated Network Model of Engagement to understand the stakeholder side of engagement. Through an egocentric network survey, we identify multiple sources of influence on indicators and outcomes of engagement, and assess the relationship between engagement indicators and outcomes. Results suggest that stakeholders’ network structures positively associated with indicators of relational engagement and outcomes of engagement, specifically OPR. On the other hand, the composition of stakeholders’ networks consistently had mixed associations with engagement indicators and outcomes. We argue it is critical for public relations scholars to account for these complexities and for practitioners to understand stakeholders’ social environments when attempting to engage them.     

Brief Report: The Unrealized Potential of Autonomous Vehicles for an Aging Population

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) have the potential to improve the health and well-being of older people. This exploratory study involved in-depth interviews with 43 key stakeholders across a broad range of sectors to identify the primary policy implications of AVs for aging populations. Four main issues were evident: a general lack of salience of the needs of older people in the AV discourse, the perceived dominance of the commercial drivers of AV technology, the implications of the particular characteristics of the senior segment, and a lack of available analyses to guide decision making. Threats and opportunities represented by these issues are discussed.     

Active and passive stakeholders in issue arenas: A communication network approach to the bird flu debate on Twitter

Issue arenas, as places for societal discussions, have recently been studied as an important aspect of organizational environments. While a fundamental part of any issue arena is the distinction between active and passive actors, empirical analyses have mainly focused on active stakeholders. We approach issue arenas as communication networks in which active stakeholders discuss topics and involve passive stakeholders. Based on network theory, we introduce an automated method for mapping these issue arenas on Twitter. In particular, we combine manual coding of active stakeholders, and automated semantic network analysis of addressed, passive stakeholders and their topics of discussion. Empirically, we focus on the issue of bird flu affecting poultry farming in the Netherlands from 2015 to 2017 with a sample of 704 Twitter messages. Instead of pre-defining a set of stakeholders for the analysis, our approach to study communication networks in online settings allows for mapping issue arenas based on the stakeholders that communicate about the topic.     

Enabling multi-faceted measures of success for protected area management in Trinidad and Tobago

A key challenge has been to define and measure "success" in managing protected areas. A case study was conducted of efforts to evaluate the new protected area management system in Trinidad and Tobago using a participatory approach. The aim of the case study was to (1) examine whether stakeholder involvement better captures the multi-faceted nature of success and (2) identify the role and influence of various stakeholder groups in this process. An holistic and systematic framework was developed with stakeholder input that facilitated the integration of expert and lay knowledge, a broad emphasis on ecological, socio-economic, and institutional aspects, and the use of both quantitative and qualitative data allowing the evaluation to capture the multi-faceted nature and impacts of protected area management. Input from primary stakeholders, such as local communities, was critical as they have a high stake in protected area outcomes. Secondary and external stakeholders, including government agencies, non-governmental organizations, academia and the private sector, were also important in providing valuable technical assistance and serving as mediators. However, a lack of consensus over priorities, politics, and limited stakeholder capacity and data access pose significant barriers to engaging stakeholders to effectively measure the management success of protected areas.     

Reconciling Children's Policy and Children's Rights: Barriers to Effective Government Delivery

Countries which have ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, have committed to implementing its principles in law and policy. This article explores the challenges for securing children's rights through policy, drawing on a research project conducted for the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People, which sought to identify barriers to effective government delivery for children and young people from the perspective of key stakeholders. The research concluded that, while some barriers (such as delay and availability of data) are not child‐specific, they can be accentuated when children and young people are the main focus of policy development and more so when seeking to adopt a child rights‐compliant approach to policy development and implementation.     

The Compact of Free Association: An Impact Analysis for Hawaii

Abstract

Available evidence suggests that homelessness in Hawaii is a substantial problem. Among this population, migrants under the 1986 Compact for Free Association have been especially susceptible to homelessness. The three major objectives of this study were to (1) determine the characteristics of COFA migrants who utilize homeless shelter services in Hawaii (2) assess the impact of COFA on Hawaii (3) identify unique features of the COFA migrant population in Hawaii that lead to recommendations as to how better serve them.

This study targets homeless service providers and community stakeholders most burdened by the problem of COFA migrant homelessness in Hawaii. Drawn from the 2003 supplemental census, intake data at the Institute for Human Service and community meetings with stakeholders, general demographic characteristics of COFA shelter users were collected and analyzed. Further, qualitative data was collected through a series of interviews with shelter staff and clients through a series of open-ended interviews and participant observation.     

Understanding knowledge transfer in an ergonomics intervention at a poultry processing plant

This case study reviews the knowledge transfer (KT) process of implementing a knife sharpening and steeling program into a poultry processing plant via a participatory ergonomics intervention. This ergonomics intervention required stakeholder participation at the company level to move a 'train-the-trainer' program, developed in Québec, Canada, into action on the plant's deboning line. Communications and exchanges with key stakeholders, as well as changes in steeling and production behaviours were recorded. The intervention was assumed to be at least partially successful because positive changes in work operations occurred. Ergonomic-related changes such as those documented have been cited in the academic literature as beneficial to worker health. However, several components cited in literature that are associated with a successful participatory ergonomics intervention were not attained during the project. A Dynamic Knowledge Transfer Model was used to identify KT issues that impacted on the success of train-the-trainer program. A debriefing analysis reveals that a failure to consider key participatory ergonomics factors necessary for success were related to capacity deficits in the knowledge dissemination strategy.     

Towards design sociology

In this review essay, I introduce and map the field of what I call “design sociology”. I argue that design research methods have relevance to a wide range of sociological research interests, and particularly for applied research that seeks to understand people's engagements with objects, systems and services, better engage publics and other stakeholders, work towards social change, and identify and intervene in futures. I discuss 3 main ways in which design sociology can be conducted: the sociology of design, sociology through design and sociology with design. I explain key terms in design and dominant approaches in social design research—participatory, critical, adversarial, speculative, and ludic design. Examples of how sociologists have already engaged with design research methods are outlined. The essay concludes with suggestions about what the future directions of design sociology might be.     

Third Sector Accounting Standard Setting: Do Third Sector Stakeholders Have Voice?

The study examines the empirical evidence of the submissions received from third sector organisations and their stakeholders in response to proposed changes to the New Zealand accounting standard setting framework. The study aims to determine whether third sector stakeholders have voice in third sector accounting standard setting. Critical comparison of submissions and proposals appear to show that the standard setters were not listening to their third sector stakeholders. However, the study found that the standard setters utilised legitimacy management strategies to gather third sector stakeholders’ voice. The standard setters proactively achieved this by conforming to the environment and achieving pragmatic legitimacy to ensure that their decisions were based on third sector stakeholders’ voice. The study is important for those countries where accounting standard setters are grappling with the due process to undertake for third sector accounting standards in its elevation of working groups to the role of salient stakeholders.     

Agricultural Strategy Development in West Africa: The False Promise of Participation?

Participatory approaches are an increasingly prominent technique for designing agricultural strategies in sub‐Saharan Africa. However, they are frequently criticised for either not involving enough stakeholders or limiting the scope of their participation. This article concludes from a study of the situation in West Africa that a lack of broad‐based participation in these strategies is not a major problem; rather, the real challenge lies in transforming the outcomes of participatory processes into policies that can be feasibly implemented. It highlights why an emphasis on participation can sometimes result in disappointment amongst stakeholders and discusses a range of measures to help overcome this dilemma.     

Organizational Responsibility for Age-Friendly Social Participation: Views of Australian Rural Community Stakeholders

This qualitative study critically explores the barriers experienced by diverse rural community stakeholders in facilitating environments that enable age-friendly social participation. Twenty-six semi-structured interviews were conducted across two rural Australian communities with stakeholders from local government, health, social care, and community organizations. Findings identify that rural community stakeholders face significant difficulties in securing resources for groups and activities catering to older adults, which subsequently impacts their capacity to undertake outreach to older adults. However, in discussing these issues, questions were raised in relation to whose responsibility it is to provide resources for community groups and organizations providing social initiatives and whose responsibility it is to engage isolated seniors. These findings provide a much-needed critical perspective on current age-friendly research by acknowledging the responsibilities of various macro-level social structures—different community-level organizations, local government, and policy in fostering environments to enable participation of diverse rural older adults.     

Promising practices for delivery of court-supervised substance abuse treatment: perspectives from six high-performing California counties operating Proposition 36

Operative for nearly a decade, California's voter-initiated Proposition 36 program offers many offenders community-based substance abuse treatment in lieu of likely incarceration. Research has documented program successes and plans for replication have proliferated, yet very little is known about how the Proposition 36 program works or practices for achieving optimal program outcomes. In this article, we identify policies and practices that key stakeholders perceive to be most responsible for the successful delivery of court-supervised substance abuse treatment to offenders under Proposition 36. Data was collected via focus groups conducted with 59 county stakeholders in six high-performing counties during 2009. Discussion was informed by seven empirical indicators of program performance and outcomes and was focused on identifying and describing elements contributing to success. Program success was primarily attributed to four strategies, those that: (1) fostered program engagement, monitored participant progress, and sustained cooperation among participants; (2) cultivated buy-in among key stakeholders; (3) capitalized on the role of the court and the judge; and (4) created a setting which promoted a high-quality treatment system, utilization of existing resources, and broad financial and political support for the program. Goals and practices for implementing each strategy are discussed. Findings provide a "promising practices" resource for Proposition 36 program evaluation and improvement and inform the design and study of other similar types of collaborative justice treatment efforts.     

Collaborative Partnership in Age-Friendly Cities: Two Case Studies From Quebec,Canada

This article aims to explain the collaborative partnership conditions and factors that foster implementation effectiveness within the age-friendly cities (AFC) in Quebec (AFC-QC), Canada. Based on a community-building approach that emphasizes collaborative partnership, the AFC-QC implementation process is divided into three steps: (1) social diagnostic of older adults' needs; (2) an action plan based on a logic model; and (3) implementation through collaborations. AFC-QC promotes direct involvement of older adults and seniors' associations at each of the three steps of the implementation process, as well as other stakeholders in the community. Based on two contrasting case studies, this article illustrates the importance of collaborative partnership for the success of AFC implementation. Results show that stakeholders, agencies, and organizations are exposed to a new form of governance where coordination and collaborative partnership among members of the steering committee are essential. Furthermore, despite the importance of the senior associations' participation in the process, they encountered significant limits in the capacity of implementing age-friendly environments solely by themselves. In conclusion, we identify the main collaborative partnership conditions and factors in AFC-QC.     

Engaging for a social licence to operate (SLO)

Organizations - in free and relatively free market economies - depend on permission to operate being granted by stakeholders. This often-tacit permission functions as a social licence and reflects an organization’s ability to engage with its stakeholders to identify and respond to their demands and expectations. Research suggests the generation of a social licence to operate (SLO) and its reputational benefits depends on the quality of organization-stakeholder relationships, but limited attention to how this occurs has been given in the public relations literature. This paper explores two organizational approaches to building SLO – pro-self and pro-social – and considers the role of public relations and engagement in achieving, maintaining, and repairing SLO.     

Translational research: implications for the study of work and family

ABSTRACT

Translational research facilitates the application of knowledge gained from research, bridging the divide between research and practice. In the context of work and family studies, translational research can take a variety of forms, depending upon the degree of engagement with stakeholders or end-users of the research. In this study, we defined and examined indicators of translational research in exemplary work and family research publications, in an effort to shed light on the adaptation of translational research perspectives to the work and family field. Using content analysis, we examined indicators of translational research in the 46 articles nominated for the 2018 Rosabeth Moss Kanter Award for work and family research. Of the 46 articles in the study, 24 (52.2%) included content suggesting translational research. The most common indicators of translational research involved presenting practical and policy applications or implications of research findings, while fewer articles mentioned developing sustained research-practice partnerships or engaging stakeholders in study design or implementation. We identify several implications of these findings for work and family scholars, academic organizations, professional associations, and the field of work and family research as a whole.     

An analysis of the mobile readiness and dialogic principles on Fortune 500 mobile websites

With the rise in mobile technologies, companies must be aware of how various stakeholders are using their websites through their mobile devices. Using a content analysis, this study analyzed the five dialogic principles of Fortune 500 websites accessed from mobile phones and also assessed their mobile readiness. While most companies did not have mobile websites, more non-mobile websites featured the dialogic principles due to their targeting of multiple stakeholders as mobile websites appeared to be more customer-centric.     

From consensus to credibility

The development of consensual science has greatly influenced the international environmental negotiation processes. This is not least the case for the Convention on Long‐range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP). Negotiators as well as regime analysts regard CLRTAP as a successful example of how scientists have succeeded in influencing international policy making through consensus‐building strategies. Drawing on Ulrich Beck's work on reflexive scientization and the concept of ‘stage management’ from the field of the Sociology of Scientific Knowledge (SSK), this paper critically analyzes the role of science in the regulation of transboundary air pollution. It discusses the consensus‐building strategies developed by scientists as well as contemporary strategies for making science matter in regulative work. It is argued that scientific credibility is crucial for attracting political and public attention, but that credibility does not necessarily have to be based on scientific consensus. The challenge for science is not so much to create consensus but to strengthen its credibility by elaborating new relations with its stakeholders.     

Securing Aquaculture‐Related Resources through Social Interaction in the Pampanga River Delta,Philippines: An Ethnogeographic Perspective on the Strengths and Pitfalls of Social Capital

Social relationships play a pivotal role in agricultural systems because they influence the economic behavior of stakeholders, but sociological studies aimed at understanding these links have until now not focused much on aquaculture. Here we examine how social capital among communities of the Pampanga River delta in the Philippines plays out in the conduct of aquatic livestock breeding, harvesting, and trading, and how it either facilitates or restrains the transformation of individual livelihoods. Relying on a mixed method of field surveys, participant observation, and questionnaires, we construct an ethnographic portrayal of how the main categories of stakeholder involved in aquaculture (from livestock producers to traders via landless gleaners) elaborate strategies to access or control aquaculture‐related resources. We show that the bonding and bridging efforts to construct social capital are strongly embedded in the cultural matrix, and that they are limited by environmental constraints (ecosystem carrying capacity, exposure to natural hazards) and shaped by historical legacies. The resulting pattern of social interactions is overall successful at buffering the negative impact of external forcing factors such as environmental hazards and global market crashes, but we also show how the different outcomes of social exchange are nonetheless unevenly distributed across the spectrum of stakeholders.