Abstract:

In former publications (de Langen, INTED, 2017), we showed that the Business Model Canvas can be used to model different organizational models for (open) education. Generally, for not-for-profit organizations, the BMC-category Customers should be replaced for different stakeholders.
In this research we use the stakeholder approach of Freeman et al. (2010), Bryson (2004) and Jones and Wicks (1999) which states that an active management of the stakeholders of an organization can improve the value of the organization for the stakeholders, and stimulate the value of the stakeholders for the organization.

We use the stakeholder model of Mitchell et al. (1997) to define the kind of stakeholders based on different dimensions (legitimacy, urgency and power). To do so, questionnaires are sent to 15 administrators, directors and executives in HEI’s (University of Twente, University of Amsterdam, University of Applied Sciences Leiden and the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences).

Using these identified stakeholders we interviewed nine managers at different levels of the organization. Next, the managers filled in a questionnaire in which the questions were hypotheses, with a 7 point Likert scale. These hypotheses give an inside in the way the managers of the HEI’s manage their stakeholders.
Based on a combination of the interviews and quantitative data, we can conclude that managers distinguish more stakeholders than just students and the ministry of education. They realize that there are different kinds of stakeholders, however, they ignore both the dynamics in the power relations. In the interviews, they recognize the importance of an explicit method of recognizing the stakeholders.

The same goes for the managing of stakeholders. Higher management recognizes the importance of managing stakeholders, but do not use a method to do so. Middle and lower management recognize some of the stakeholders, especially students and the Ministry, but don’t think that they can manage them, leaving that for the higher management. They ignore large groups of stakeholders, which could result in a clash, as higher management treats a group as stakeholder, whereas lower in the organization this group is ignored or seen as a simple supplier.

These results imply that, although the HEI’s recognize the importance of stakeholders (especially at the higher levels of management), because of the absence of a sense of urgency at the middle and lower levels of management stakeholders value can be improved through an active stakeholder management.

Give the number of interviews, these conclusions can be disputed. Further research should involve more HEI’s, possible over more countries. An interesting suggestion of one of the participating HEI’s was the possibility of a design research, implementing a stakeholders management system. However, given the restricted possibilities of this study, this could not be realized.

[The original interviews were done by Mrs. J.v.Blanken-Hagemeijer, MSc. for her thesis research, Under what circumstances can the stakeholder model have a positive contribution in a non profit organization, with an application to the higher education sector? (in Dutch)]

Keywords:

Higher education, stakeholders