Co-evolution of Project Stakeholder Networks

Abstract

Oftentimes a multitude of stakeholders from different backgrounds engage in projects from the onset through to the completion phase. These stakeholders not only offer unique qualities and viewpoints as well as diversely contribute to the success of a project, but simultaneously possess contrasting interests. The presence of common interests serves as the catalyst to the development and formation of what are known as stakeholder networks. Different networks of such evolve and re-develop throughout the different phases of a project. In this study, we aim to explore the impact on a corresponding network that a pre-existing network exerts onto another when the same set of nodes or actors are present. We also explore the impact that stakeholder attributes have on this co-evolution and co-development process. We used the method and concept of social network analysis to construct different stakeholder networks. The social network methods of network correlation and regression have been used to explore the co-evolution of two different stakeholder networks. Results show that different stakeholder networks among the same stakeholders do indeed co-evolve and that socio-demographic factors significantly influence the outcome of this stakeholder network development .