By Gabriele Bammer
How can researchers ensure that stakeholder contributions ― whether through consultation, involvement or collaboration ― are properly valued? What steps can researchers take to make stakeholder participation as effective as possible? How can damaging pitfalls be avoided?
Researchers can make the stakeholder engagement process maximally effective by paying attention to the following three aspects:
- ensuring credibility, relevance and legitimacy of stakeholder contributions
- accommodating stakeholder motivations, expertise and ability to participate
- avoiding or managing potential pitfalls.
1. Ensuring credibility, relevance and legitimacy of stakeholder participation