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Assessing the impact of stakeholder dialogue: changing relationships between NGOs and companies
Author(s) -
Burchell Jon,
Cook Joanne
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of public affairs
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.221
H-Index - 20
eISSN - 1479-1854
pISSN - 1472-3891
DOI - 10.1002/pa.229
Subject(s) - facilitator , stakeholder , public relations , perception , corporate social responsibility , stakeholder engagement , civil society , process (computing) , business , accountability , social dialogue , political science , sociology , psychology , politics , neuroscience , computer science , law , operating system
In seeking to respond to criticisms regarding their social and environmental actions, companies have increasingly looked towards processes of stakeholder dialogue and engagement to increase trust and accountability, and provide better processes of communication regarding their activities. However, while stakeholder dialogue has become an increasingly central aspect of a companies CSR strategy, there is little detailed analysis, by which to assess the impact of these processes of dialogue in improving relationships between business and civil society. Similarly, little research has been conducted into the way in which dialogue impacts upon company strategy and policy, or upon how the dialogue process is perceived by the civil society organizations that the companies seek to bring into dialogue. This article provides some insight into these areas by reflecting on the initial findings of an ongoing research project (CRADLE) into the impact of dialogue and exchange on the shaping of CSR. It presents the findings from a postal questionnaire distributed to companies NGOs and facilitator groups regarding the impact of CSR dialogue processes. In conjunction with subsequent interview findings, the article discusses both company and NGO attitudes towards stakeholder engagement processes, and the impact that this has had in changing organizational practices. In particular, it looks at the types of dialogue being undertaken, the links between dialogue and trust and the role of dialogue in shaping organizational learning. In general, the findings present an informative overview of the current perception of the value of dialogue processes from a cross‐section of groups directly involved within the CSR arena. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.