IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/qualqt/v49y2015i6p2507-2525.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Exploring stakeholder interactions through the lens of complexity theory: lessons from the sugar industry

Author

Listed:
  • Cecile Gerwel Proches
  • Shamim Bodhanya

Abstract

The aim of this study is to identify challenges in multi-stakeholder relationships and to provide recommendations on how to manage complexity within these complex systems. The sugar industry under investigation is composed of diverse stakeholders who pursue various objectives, and complexity arises from these multiple interactions. Complexity theory is used here to analyse stakeholder relationships in a mill area in the sugar industry. The qualitative research approach is used. In-depth, semi-structured interviews are conducted with various stakeholder groups who are able to provide insight into the challenges in the mill area—and how these can be addressed. Thematic analysis is used. An analysis of the interactions reveals that stakeholders face overlapping problems, increasing demands, and an uncertain future. Relationships are characterised by a lack of trust and transparency, and are further strained by organisational structures, control and bureaucracy. The study highlights a dire need for cooperation and for a collectivist culture to achieve a competitive edge. It reveals that stakeholder interaction contributes to systemic awareness, shared strategy and expertise, collective learning, and system-wide goals which in turn impacts positively on performance. Important factors which are found to influence stakeholder interaction include the capacity for change, information, transparency, distributed leadership, flexible organisational structures, and the capacity of stakeholders to contribute. This study provides a significant contribution by presenting conceptual models to better understand multi-stakeholder scenarios. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2015

Suggested Citation

  • Cecile Gerwel Proches & Shamim Bodhanya, 2015. "Exploring stakeholder interactions through the lens of complexity theory: lessons from the sugar industry," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 49(6), pages 2507-2525, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:qualqt:v:49:y:2015:i:6:p:2507-2525
    DOI: 10.1007/s11135-014-0124-6
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1007/s11135-014-0124-6
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11135-014-0124-6?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Paul Cairney, 2012. "Complexity Theory in Political Science and Public Policy," Political Studies Review, Political Studies Association, vol. 10(3), pages 346-358, September.
    2. Li, Gang & Yang, Hongjiao & Sun, Linyan & Ji, Ping & Feng, Lei, 2010. "The evolutionary complexity of complex adaptive supply networks: A simulation and case study," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 124(2), pages 310-330, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Yi Zhang & Patrick Sik-Wah Fong & Daniel Yamoah Agyemang, 2021. "What Should Be Focused on When Digital Transformation Hits Industries? Literature Review of Business Management Adaptability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-30, December.
    2. Govindan, Kannan & Jain, Preeti & Kr. Singh, Rajesh & Mishra, Ruchi, 2024. "Blockchain technology as a strategic weapon to bring procurement 4.0 truly alive: Literature review and future research agenda," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 181(C).
    3. Aguilar-Rivera, Noé, 2019. "A framework for the analysis of socioeconomic and geographic sugarcane agro industry sustainability," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 149-160.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Goknur Arzu Akyuz & Guner Gursoy, 2020. "Strategic management perspectives on supply chain," Management Review Quarterly, Springer, vol. 70(2), pages 213-241, May.
    2. Crabolu, Gloria & Font, Xavier & Eker, Sibel, 2023. "Evaluating policy complexity with Causal Loop Diagrams," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    3. Pečarič Mirko, 2020. "Regulatory Cybernetics: Adaptability and Probability in the Public Administration’s Regulations," NISPAcee Journal of Public Administration and Policy, Sciendo, vol. 13(1), pages 133-156, June.
    4. Paul, Jomon A. & Wang, Xinfang & Bagchi, Aniruddha, 2024. "Lives or livelihoods: A configurational perspective of COVID-19 policies," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    5. Harriet Koorts & Adrian Bauman & Nancy Edwards & William Bellew & Wendy J. Brown & Mitch J. Duncan & David R. Lubans & Andrew J. Milat & Philip J. Morgan & Nicole Nathan & Andrew Searles & Karen Lee &, 2022. "Tensions and Paradoxes of Scaling Up: A Critical Reflection on Physical Activity Promotion," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-16, November.
    6. Angelique Chettiparamb, 2016. "Articulating ‘public interest’ through complexity theory," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 34(7), pages 1284-1305, November.
    7. Rhydian Fôn James & Peter Midmore & Dennis Thomas, 2013. "‘Ground truths’ and scenarios: Examining and testing regional policy in North West Wales," Local Economy, London South Bank University, vol. 28(6), pages 643-662, September.
    8. Ola G. El‐Taliawi & Nihit Goyal & Michael Howlett, 2021. "Holding out the promise of Lasswell's dream: Big data analytics in public policy research and teaching," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 38(6), pages 640-660, November.
    9. Jeroen van der Heijden, 2022. "The Value of Systems Thinking for and in Regulatory Governance: An Evidence Synthesis," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(2), pages 21582440221, June.
    10. Lorentz, Harri & Kittipanya-ngam, Pichawadee & Singh Srai, Jagjit, 2013. "Emerging market characteristics and supply network adjustments in internationalising food supply chains," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 145(1), pages 220-232.
    11. Tiffany H. Morrison & W. Neil Adger & Katrina Brown & Maria Carmen Lemos & Dave Huitema & Terry P. Hughes, 2017. "Mitigation and adaptation in polycentric systems: sources of power in the pursuit of collective goals," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 8(5), September.
    12. Helen Pineo & Nici Zimmermann & Michael Davies, 2020. "Integrating health into the complex urban planning policy and decision-making context: a systems thinking analysis," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 6(1), pages 1-14, December.
    13. Kemal Erkisi & Melike Cetin, 2024. "Dynamics of Economic Complexity in Canada: A Multifaceted Long-Term Analysis," Economic Studies journal, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences - Economic Research Institute, issue 7, pages 3-20.
    14. Cannella, Salvatore & Dominguez, Roberto & Framinan, Jose M., 2017. "Inventory record inaccuracy – The impact of structural complexity and lead time variability," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 123-138.
    15. David L. Olson & Scott R. Swenseth, 2014. "Trade‐offs in Supply Chain System Risk Mitigation," Systems Research and Behavioral Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(4), pages 565-579, July.
    16. Brydie Clarke & Janelle Kwon & Boyd Swinburn & Gary Sacks, 2021. "Understanding the dynamics of obesity prevention policy decision-making using a systems perspective: A case study of Healthy Together Victoria," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(1), pages 1-23, January.
    17. Marcus A. Bellamy & Rahul C. Basole, 2013. "Network analysis of supply chain systems: A systematic review and future research," Systems Engineering, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 16(2), pages 235-249, June.
    18. Paul Cairney, 2015. "Debate: What is complex government and what can we do about it?," Public Money & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(1), pages 3-6, January.
    19. Dass, Mayukh & Fox, Gavin L., 2011. "A holistic network model for supply chain analysis," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(2), pages 587-594, June.
    20. Crabolu, Gloria & Font, Xavier & Eker, Sibel, 2023. "Evaluating Policy Instrument Complexity With Causal Loop Diagrams," SocArXiv 2c83b, Center for Open Science.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:qualqt:v:49:y:2015:i:6:p:2507-2525. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.