Stakeholders are individuals or groups that are affected by, or able to influence, the SCM business practices employed.
It is imperative that the key stakeholders are identified during the preliminary stages of the purchase process. Stakeholder opinions and attitudes are formulated in the Conceptualize Need task of USPS Supplying Practices Process Step 1: Identify Needs. It is important to collect and assess the interests of all stakeholders, who may represent different client groups, and to resolve conflicting needs. Failure to identify key stakeholders early in the supply process can create additional risks to the success of the project.
The first step in identifying key stakeholders is to brainstorm. Consider everyone affected by the supply decision, those who have influence or power over it, and those who have an interest in its outcome. One of the best ways to identify stakeholders is to plot them on an Influence/impact Matrix. The next step is to prioritize stakeholders by influence and impact and to plot this on an Influence/impact Matrix (illustrated below). The final step is to understand what motivates the stakeholders and how to gain their confidence with the eventual results.
