Internal & External Stakeholders (DP IB Business Management)

Revision Note

An Introduction to Stakeholders

  • Stakeholders are individuals or groups that affect or are affected by the actions of a business 

    • A business needs to take into account the needs and interests of its stakeholders in order to operate successfully and ensure long term success

Diagram: business stakeholders

Groups with an interest in the activities of a business
Groups with an interest in the activities of a business

Internal Stakeholders

  • Internal stakeholders are individuals or groups inside the business

    • Employees

    • Managers and Directors

    • Business owners

Objectives of Internal Stakeholders

Stakeholder

Objective

Example

Owners 

  • Owners may be sole traders, a partner in a business or a shareholder in a private limited company

  • Owners are likely to work within the business as well as own it and so will be relying on the business to provide an income

  • They will want all, or a share of the profit and will want the business to be succeed

  • The owner of a small building business may want it to provide a job and income

    • The owner may also have the aim of passing the business on to a family member on retirement

Employees

  • Employees are individuals who work for a company

  • Their primary objective is to earn a living, have job security and be compensated fairly for their work and have a safe working environment 

  • Google employees in California have some of the best working conditions in the world, with the Company offering sleeping pods, games rooms and free speciality coffee all day

Management

  • Managers are individuals who are responsible for the day-to-day operations of a company

  • Their primary objective is to meet the company's goals and objectives

  • They want to maximise profits and minimise costs while ensuring that the company operates efficiently

  • A McDonald's manager may want their restaurant to increase sales and reduce costs by improving efficiency

External Stakeholders

  • External stakeholders are individuals or groups outside of a business

    • Customers

    • Shareholders

    • Creditors

    • Suppliers

    • The local community

    • Local and national government

    • Pressure groups

Objectives of External Stakeholders

Stakeholder

Objective

Example

Customers

  • Customers are individuals or businesses who purchase goods/services from a business

  • Their primary objective is to receive high-quality products or services at a fair price

  • Customers also want good customer service and a positive experience with the company 

  • A Nike customer may want the company to provide high-quality shoes at a reasonable price - and to deal promptly with any customer concern issues

Shareholders

  • Shareholders are individuals or entities who own a portion of a company's stock

  • They invest in the company with the goal of making a profit

  • Shareholders' primary objective is to maximise their returns on investment

  • They want the company to be profitable and generate a high return on their investment

  • An Apple shareholder may want the company to release new products and increase sales to increase the value of their shares

Suppliers & creditors

  • Suppliers and creditors are likely to be one and the same

  • Their primary objective is for the business to pay what it owes promptly and in full

  • Suppliers often want to be able to establish long-term arrangements with customers to improve business stability

  • An egg supplier is likely to value a  long-term supply contract with a leading supermarket even if the price it receives for its eggs is low because sales are guaranteed 

The local community

  • The local community includes individuals and organisations that live or operate in the area where a business operates

  • Their primary objective is for the business to have a positive impact on the community

    • This may include  the business being environmentally responsible, providing jobs, and contributing to local causes

  • Burnley Savings & Loans Ltd (Bank of Dave) donates all of their profits to local charities and good causes

Local and national government

  • The government is responsible for creating and enforcing laws and regulations that affect businesses

  • Their primary objective is to promote the public good and protect the interests of citizens

  • The government wants companies to operate within the law and contribute to the economy

  • The government may want a company to pay taxes, comply with environmental regulations, and create jobs

Pressure groups

  • Pressure groups are organisations that seek to influence the policies and actions of businesses or governments

  • Their primary objective is to promote a specific cause or agenda

  • Pressure groups want the company to support their cause or take action on an issue

  • An animal rights group may want a clothing company to stop using animal products in their clothing

Examiner Tips and Tricks

Some stakeholders can be both internal and external

  • Shareholders are usually classified as external stakeholders but employees and business managers may own shares and therefore have an internal stake in business success too

  • Similarly, the local community is usually considered to be an external stakeholder but it is likely to contain workers for a business

The fact that stakeholders may wear more than one 'hat' can make meeting their varied objectives even more of a challenge and businesses will need to take care to understand concerns effectively

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