Strategic Management & the Stakeholder View of the Firm

Between 2004 and 2007, this research project has been actively investigating the key aspects of stakeholder management based on the comprehensive management approach called "Stakeholder View" developed by Lee Preston (University of Maryland), Jim Post (Boston University) and Sybille Sachs (University of Applied Sciences in Business and Administration Zurich).

Some firms are already on a learning path to adopt a broader stakeholder oriented view. They have realised that systematic management of stakeholder interactions can provide unique resources to create value - and reduce risks - for a firm’s constituents.

The research team of this project, headed by Professor Sybille Sachs and Emeritus Professor Edwin Rühli, has analysed two clusters of firms: financial services (ZKB, Swiss Re, SUVA) and telecommunications (Orange, Swisscom, Sunrise). Empirical investigations have been conducted by using the methodology of comparative case research.

The following research goals were pursued:

• Analysis of good examples for the application of the Stakeholder View in practice
• Development of tools and good practices to integrate a comprehensive stakeholder management into the strategy, structure, and culture of firms
• Refinement of the Stakeholder View framework

The main project output thus far is a managerial book that was published in June 2007 in German. You can directly order the book here. An English translation will be available for 2008. Also, an academic book publication is planned for end 2008.

The key outcomes of the project are available online and can be downloaded.

You are also invited to check the following additional resources:

• Insights of the project's Final Conference 'Good Practice in Stakeholder Management - Learning from Cutting-edge Research', June 22, 2007, Zurich, Switzerland. 

• Results of the workshop 'Good Practices in Stakeholder Management - Insights from intra- and inter-industry comparison in the financial services and telecommunication industry', 16 November 2005, Zurich, Switzerland. 

• Insight of the PhD day on "How to Deliver Value from Best Practice in Managing Relationships with Stakeholders", together with the Cranfield School of Management, 12 and 13 December 2006, Cranfield, UK

• Ethical Corporation published in its November 2006 edition an overview of the latest thinking on CSR by Professor Sachs. Download of the article. 

• Project pages of the Center for Strategic Management: Stakeholder View of the University of Applied Sciences in Business Administration (HWZ) where you can find further detailed information about the project and the center itself.

For more information, please contact  This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , Research Manager, EABIS or  This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , Professor, University of Applied Sciences in Business & Administration Zurich (Switzerland).

EABIS members can visit the project space of this project on the EABIS Intranet where you can download all project deliverables. If you are not a member yet of this project space, please click "Good Practices of Stakeholder View" to join. Following the approval of your request to join, you can access the project space through the link above. For further Intranet assistance, contact This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . 

This project is part of the EABIS corporate funded programme sponsored by founding partners IBM, Johnson & Johnson, Microsoft, Shell and Unilever.