Stakeholder Management and Project Sustainability—A Throw of the Dice

Jelena Cvijović, Vladimir Obradović and Marija Todorović
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Jelena Cvijović: Faculty of Organizational Sciences, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Vladimir Obradović: Faculty of Organizational Sciences, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Marija Todorović: Faculty of Organizational Sciences, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 17, 1-22

Abstract: The aim of this study was to analyze the strategies that external stakeholders apply to influence sustainable projects. In order to investigate this phenomenon, we employed a qualitative case study approach considering the Serbian small hydro power plant project. For the purpose of this research, we developed a theoretical framework consisting of four types of different influence strategies, which were identified and then applied to our case. The results show that external stakeholders utilized all four strategies interchangeably, with the goal to influence the project and decision-makers. The case of the small hydro power plant project revealed certain relationships between influence strategies, as well as the intensity and direction of these relationships. It also revealed that external stakeholders were highly motivated by negative impacts on the environment. Five propositions were derived as a result of our research. This paper contributes not just to the project and stakeholder management literature but also to the practical knowledge of project managers. Understanding stakeholder actions and influence is essential to achieving project goals.

Keywords: external stakeholders; influence strategies; stakeholder engagement; small hydro power plants; sustainable projects (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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