The Global Stakeholder Strategies Program (GSS) is based on the idea that sustaining viable stakeholder relations creates long lasting value for corporations. Firms engaging with a range of stakeholders: employees, customers, suppliers, investors, civil society, non-governmental organizations, communities, and governmental agencies; is not a new concept. What separates modern stakeholder engagement strategies, however, is the additional uncertainty and complexity in a global world of commerce. Expanding operations across continents, developing reliable supply chains within and among multiple developing or developed countries, ensuring quality goods/service delivery while appropriately attending to local employees, communities and governments having disparate values and shared beliefs creates complex learning issues for modern corporations. Accountability, transparency and impacts of firms and stakeholders while building capacity, enhancing reputation, and creating value are dominant themes in the global stakeholder strategies program.
This program emphasizes research, teaching and conferences for academics and executives to examine specific stakeholder relations (e.g., business-community relations; business-government relations), cross-cultural comparisons (e.g., China, Australian, and EU philanthropy policies), local and international stakeholders (international NGOs, quasi-governmental organizations, civil society engagement), industry (e.g., beer, tobacco, mining, energy, pharmaceuticals) and firm- (extended enterprise) effects of stakeholder engagement.
A variety of courses are taught under the umbrella of the Global Stakeholder Strategies program. Through GWSB instructors, there are more than eleven different courses that relate to this topic area, spanning the undergraduate, graduate, doctorate and executive degree programs. See related courses.
Jenn Griffin is the director of the Global Stakeholder Strategies Program.