An Interactive Introduction to Organismal and Molecular Biology, 2021

40 | STAKEHOLDERS AND AUTHORITY
fully defined. When alliances with only like-minded groups are formed, the risk of generating negative reactions
among other stakeholders can increase due to perceived “exclusivity.” Effective information sharing,
communication, and public education can help alleviate these risks. Development of a strategic plan for
progressively bringing in other key stakeholders—primary, secondary, or opposition—will also be essential.
The number of parties engaged in the collaboration process is also an important consideration. All
stakeholders do not need to participate all the time, or to the same degree. A review of who is participating in a
conservation initiative should be made on a regular basis, and participation revised as needed.
Differences in Power
Power differentials exist in all forms of social organizations and between social groups. The source of these
differences may be based on the heredity rights that leaders enjoy in certain cultural settings, or the power
differences earned through channels that economic and political opportunity afford individuals and groups.
Two power issues are particularly relevant to facilitators of stakeholder collaboration: addressing power
inequalities between key parties so that adequate representation and collaboration can be achieved, and reaching
agreements among parties on how a disagreement over issues will be resolved.
Conflicts involving core group values and identity are difficult to resolve. For example, less politically
powerful stakeholders may fear that a powerful outsider will impose its views on a process. This may provoke
them to withdraw from a given negotiation process even if they stand to benefit from staying involved. Similarly,
distrust can make it particularly difficult for the parties to begin constructive talks. Facilitators need to
understand the source of this distrust and determine what, if anything, can be done to remove it.
In situations that become polarized around opposing values or identities, facilitators of a collaboration
process need to be resourceful in sensitizing participants to the validity of different stakeholder perspectives.
Instrumental techniques such as adapting the meeting structure and process to better enable constructive crossstakeholder
learning can be useful.
Stakeholder Scenarios
The following is a series of scenarios that illustrate the stakeholder concepts described above.
An interactive or media element has been excluded from this version of the text. You can view it
online here:
https://openbooks.lib.msu.edu/isb202/?p=73