How critical is stakeholder management to the success of a purchasing project?

22/09/2025 Daniel Do Comments 0 Comment

In the previous post, we discussed the types of stakeholders that can impact on procurement and supply activities. If we stop at stakeholders classifications, it won’t lead to any meaningful insights. According to CIPS study guides, it is recommended to manage stakeholders using Mendelow’s Stakeholder Materix. Each purchasing project may attract interest from different stakeholders and each of themholds different levels of power. Hence, it is very important to adopt appropriate management strategies tailored to each stakeholder.

Figure 1: Mendelow’s stakeholder management matrix

Mendelow uses 2 dimensions: Power and Interest to categorize and manage stakeholders appropriately. In fact, buyers cannot allocate equal effort to all stakeholders, so this matrix helps them prioritize communication and engagement to ensure that the company achieves its targeted business outcomes.

Power: This refers to stakeholder’s ability of influence over the purchasing project. The level of power can vary depending on their position, expertise, access to resources…

Interest: This refers to stakeholder’s level of involvement in the purchasing project. It shows how much they care about the project’s outcomes.

Based on the figure 1, stakeholders are categorized into 4 groups:

Group 1: Stakeholders with Low Interest, Low Power

These stakeholders require minimal effort from buyers, as they have limited influence over the purchasing project and show little concern for its outcomes. However, that does not mean buyer ignore them, they still keep an eye on any changes in their status.

Group 2: Stakeholders with Low Interest, High Power

These stakeholders have a high level of influence over the purchasing project, but they don’t care much about its details. Providing them with excessive information may overwhelm or frustrate them. Therefore, buyers should provide them enough information to maintain goodwill, ensure these stakeholders feel respected and involved. It is very important to keep them satisfied, as their action can impact drammatically on the project outcomes.

Group 3: Stakeholders with High Interest, Low Power

These stakeholders are the opposite of those in Group 2. They take a great interest in details of the purchasing project, but have less influence over the project. To deal with these stakeholders, buyers should keep them informed by sharing project updates and actively listening to their feedback.

Group 4: Stakeholders with High Power, High Interest

They are key stakeholders of the purchasing project, as they are highly influential and deeply invested. Buyers should pay close attention to this group by engaging with them regularly, keeping them satisfied and involving them in decision-making process. If they raise any concerns, buyers need to work on them quickly and cooperate with them to develop mutually beneficial solutions.

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