Stakeholder Analysis: The Map of Impact

Stakeholder analysis is the diagnostic step in solving ethical case studies. It ensures that an administrator identifies everyone affected by an action—both direct actors and silent, marginalized groups—to prevent decisions that cause unintended harm.

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Stakeholder Analysis

Cue Words	Notes
Definition of Stakeholder Analysis	- Diagnostic step identifying everyone affected by an administrative action (direct actors and silent marginalized groups) to prevent harm
Mendelow's Power-Interest Matrix	**High Power, High Interest (Key Players):** political executives, senior administrators, media — manage closely **High Power, Low Interest:** regulatory bodies, funding departments — keep satisfied **Low Power, High Interest:** local communities, marginalized groups, beneficiaries — protect & keep informed
Primary & Secondary Stakeholders	**Primary:** decision-maker (administrator's integrity/conscience) and target group (beneficiaries/victims) **Secondary:** department/organization (reputational equity) and administrator's family (safety/financial strain)
Tertiary Stakeholders & Vulnerability Lens	**Tertiary:** State and Rule of Law (public trust in democratic institutions) **Vulnerability Lens (Antyodaya):** prioritize those with high interest but zero power (women, children, tribals, Divyangjan)
High-Yield Ethics Data & Exemplars	- Mendelow's Power-Interest Matrix for Governance - Rawls' Difference Principle & Gandhi's Talisman application - Land Acquisition Act 2013: 70-80% consent of affected families
Mains Keywords & Quotes	**Keywords:** Mendelow's Grid, Silent Stakeholders, Trustee Mandate, Ethical Footprint **Gandhi Talisman Quote:** *"Recall the face of the poorest and weakest man... ask yourself if the step is going to be of use to him."* **John Rawls Quote:** *"What is just and unjust is the way that institutions deal with natural distribution facts."*
Freeman's Stakeholder Theory	- R. Edward Freeman (1984): an organization/administrator has ethical obligations to **all** groups affected by a decision, not only formal shareholders/superiors — reframes governance as managing a web of relationships, not a single chain of command - Complements Mendelow's Matrix by supplying the normative "why" (duty to all affected parties) behind the "how" of prioritizing engagement
Conclusion	- Stakeholder analysis is the **"Compass of Inclusivity"** — moving beyond high-power lobbies to actively protect and empower low-power, high-interest stakeholders