Stakeholder Analysis

What is Stakeholder Analysis?\n\nA **stakeholder analysis** identifies all people, groups, and organizations that have an interest in a company, project, or initiative and can influence or are affected by it. It assesses their influence, expectations, and attitude.\n\n## Typical Stakeholder Groups\n\n- **Internal:** Management, employees, shareholders\n- **External (market):** Customers, suppliers, competitors, partners\n- **External (environment):** Regulatory authorities, media, associations, public\n\n## Why is Stakeholder Analysis Important for Marketing?\n\nIn the marketing context, the analysis helps:\n\n- **Develop communication strategies** tailored to target groups\n- **Prepare crisis communication**\n- **Design change processes** (e.g., rebranding) successfully\n- **Focus resources** on the most important stakeholders\n- **Identify supporters** and recognize resistance early\n\n## Methods\n\n- **Stakeholder map:** Visualization of all stakeholders and their relationships\n- **Power-interest matrix:** Classification by influence and interest (four quadrants)\n- **Salience model:** Assessment by power, legitimacy, and urgency\n\n## In Practice\n\nStakeholder analysis is particularly valuable before major changes: product launches, rebrandings, strategic realignments, or crisis situations. It should not be understood as a one-time exercise but as the basis for continuous stakeholder management. The most common mistakes: overlooking stakeholders or misjudging their influence.