JAKARTA, PRINDONESIA.CO – Therefore, corporations must conduct stakeholder mapping. The theory that is known as stakeholder mapping is started from the question: what is the most effective way and channel when a company will build relations and communication with the key stakeholders?

To get there, the company must first determine the goals to be achieved and identify issues that will arise when achieving the goals. Then, understand and determine who the stakeholders are considered important because they can be influenced and influence the company’s strategic goals so that they must be communicated with.

According to Anton Rizki Sulaiman, President Director and Principal Consultant of Kiroyan Partners Public Affairs, the theory that first emerged from management science aims to determine and map the stakeholders who can influence the achievement of the goals set by the company. Met by PR INDONESIA in Jakarta on Monday (27/5/2019), he shared several benefits of stakeholder mapping.

First, the company must have and able to maintain its competitive advantages. Second, know who they must pay attention to, especially while running the corporate social responsibility program. And third, the company is more focused on building and establishing a relationship with the key stakeholders. “As a result, companies can be more precise in determining the issues and the public that must be targeted. They can also use the budget and resources as effectively as possible,” he said.

Bias

However, it’s not easy to map stakeholders. This is because the companies are often trapped by several biases, such as power bias, interest bias, elite bias, and purpose bias. Power bias happens because there is a myth that a company believes in someone who has great power and can influence business activities. Meanwhile, interest bias can happen when a company considers certain stakeholders to be important because they are often met. For example, for public relations (PR), the media is the main stakeholder because they often interact. It’s a different matter with the HR division. They prefer labor unions as the priority stakeholder.

As for the elite bias, it can grow because of one’s character or strategic position. “Sometimes we only build relations with leaders because they are considered to represent their members. Even though it is not always the case,” Anton said, emphasizing that building relations downward is equally important. Last is purpose bias or a tendency to give more attention to those who have a big share behind the company.

In order not to be trapped in biases, the company must focus on its stated goals. This is where the role of PR is needed. “PR is the mouth and ear of the company,” said the man with the degree of Licencié en Science Politique, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgia. They are also in charge of giving insights and work together with the management to understand and balance various interests from many divisions/departments, including the shareholders.

Therefore, there needs to be a director of communication in the board room whose role is to regulate company relations as an institution both to the stakeholders and the direction of its communication. One thing for sure, stakeholder mapping is not an activity that is only conducted once. Instead, it is conducted again if the company is faced with an issue or has a new goal to be achieved. For example, a new product launch. “Stakeholders mapping is not attached. It can be adjusted depending on its purpose,” he concluded. (rtn)