IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/bstrat/v32y2023i1p673-685.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Stakeholder theory and actor‐network theory: The stakeholder engagement in energy transitions

Author

Listed:
  • Gabriela Almeida Marcon Nora
  • Anete Alberton
  • Diego Hernando Florez Ayala

Abstract

The idea of sustainable development highlights the need to address economic, social, and environmental aspects to preserve the rights and needs of future generations. This paper proposes an association between stakeholder theory (ST) and Actor‐Network Theory (ANT) that can better explain the dynamics of actors in the energy sector, in the context of sociotechnical transitions to sustainability. By selectively examining the way in which different researchers perceive this subject, we intend to address how the engagement of the stakeholders can promote sociotechnical transitions in the energy sector trough the connection between ST and ANT. We aim to characterize the dynamics of stakeholder's engagement in sociotechnical transitions in the context of sustainability in the energy sector, trough the connection of the two theories. A narrative literature review was performed on scientific databases. The results showed that sociotechnical transitions in the energy sector require the involvement of multiple actors with different interests and that ST associated with ANT provides a good basis for research on this theme. The association of both theories highlights the importance of ST to enhance cooperation in the areas of clean energy research and technology, providing a theoretical tool for understanding the dynamics of transitions and its different pathways. For future studies, it is recommended to deepen the relationship between human and non‐human actors and their role as stakeholders.

Suggested Citation

  • Gabriela Almeida Marcon Nora & Anete Alberton & Diego Hernando Florez Ayala, 2023. "Stakeholder theory and actor‐network theory: The stakeholder engagement in energy transitions," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(1), pages 673-685, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:bstrat:v:32:y:2023:i:1:p:673-685
    DOI: 10.1002/bse.3168
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.3168
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/bse.3168?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
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Aparna Venugopal & Dhirendra Shukla, 2019. "Identifying consumers' engagement with renewable energy," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(1), pages 53-63, January.
    2. Goodpaster, Kenneth E., 1991. "Business Ethics and Stakeholder Analysis," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 1(1), pages 53-73, January.
    3. Tiina Onkila, 2011. "Multiple forms of stakeholder interaction in environmental management: business arguments regarding differences in stakeholder relationships," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 20(6), pages 379-393, September.
    4. Lisa-Britt Fischer & Jens Newig, 2016. "Importance of Actors and Agency in Sustainability Transitions: A Systematic Exploration of the Literature," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(5), pages 1-21, May.
    5. Pablo Gomez‐Carrasco & Giovanna Michelon, 2017. "The Power of Stakeholders' Voice: The Effects of Social Media Activism on Stock Markets," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(6), pages 855-872, September.
    6. Geels, Frank W., 2002. "Technological transitions as evolutionary reconfiguration processes: a multi-level perspective and a case-study," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 31(8-9), pages 1257-1274, December.
    7. Jennifer Goodman & Angelina Korsunova & Minna Halme, 2017. "Our Collaborative Future: Activities and Roles of Stakeholders in Sustainability‐Oriented Innovation," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(6), pages 731-753, September.
    8. Pratima Bansal, 2005. "Evolving sustainably: a longitudinal study of corporate sustainable development," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(3), pages 197-218, March.
    9. Niki Frantzeskaki & Derk Loorbach & James Meadowcroft, 2012. "Governing societal transitions to sustainability," International Journal of Sustainable Development, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 15(1/2), pages 19-36.
    10. Nardia Haigh & Andrew Griffiths, 2009. "The natural environment as a primary stakeholder: the case of climate change," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(6), pages 347-359, September.
    11. Wang, Luhao & Zhang, Bingying & Li, Qiqiang & Song, Wen & Li, Guanguan, 2019. "Robust distributed optimization for energy dispatch of multi-stakeholder multiple microgrids under uncertainty," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 255(C).
    12. Quang Le Van & Thanh Viet Nguyen & Manh Hung Nguyen, 2019. "Sustainable development and environmental policy: The engagement of stakeholders in green products in Vietnam," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(5), pages 675-687, July.
    13. Grégoire, Yany & Salle, Audrey & Tripp, Thomas M., 2015. "Managing social media crises with your customers: The good, the bad, and the ugly," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 58(2), pages 173-182.
    14. Anette Hallin & Tina Karrbom‐Gustavsson & Peter Dobers, 2021. "Transition towards and of sustainability—Understanding sustainability as performative," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(4), pages 1948-1957, May.
    15. Isabel Gallego‐Alvarez & Eduardo Ortas & José Luis Vicente‐Villardón & Igor Álvarez Etxeberria, 2017. "Institutional Constraints, Stakeholder Pressure and Corporate Environmental Reporting Policies," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(6), pages 807-825, September.
    16. Riikka Tapaninaho & Anna Heikkinen, 2022. "Value creation in circular economy business for sustainability: A stakeholder relationship perspective," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(6), pages 2728-2740, September.
    17. Markard, Jochen & Raven, Rob & Truffer, Bernhard, 2012. "Sustainability transitions: An emerging field of research and its prospects," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(6), pages 955-967.
    18. Martin, Nigel J. & Rice, John L., 2012. "Developing renewable energy supply in Queensland, Australia: A study of the barriers, targets, policies and actions," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 119-127.
    19. Nigel James Martin & John Lewis Rice, 2014. "Influencing Clean Energy Laws: an Analysis of Business Stakeholder Engagement," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 23(7), pages 447-460, November.
    20. Shubham & Parikshit Charan & L.S. Murty, 2018. "Secondary stakeholder pressures and organizational adoption of sustainable operations practices: The mediating role of primary stakeholders," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(7), pages 910-923, November.
    21. Giovanna Attanasio & Nadia Preghenella & Alberto Felice De Toni & Cinzia Battistella, 2022. "Stakeholder engagement in business models for sustainability: The stakeholder value flow model for sustainable development," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(3), pages 860-874, March.
    22. Magali Delmas & Michael W. Toffel, 2004. "Stakeholders and environmental management practices: an institutional framework," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 13(4), pages 209-222, July.
    23. Sybille Sachs & Marc Maurer, 2009. "Toward Dynamic Corporate Stakeholder Responsibility," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 85(3), pages 535-544, April.
    24. Subhabrata Bobby Banerjee & Annabel‐Mauve Bonnefous, 2011. "Stakeholder management and sustainability strategies in the French nuclear industry," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 20(2), pages 124-140, February.
    25. Loch, Murialdo & Marcon, Rosilene & Pruner da Silva, André Leonardo & Xavier, Wlamir Gonçalves, 2018. "Government's impact on the financial performance of electric service providers as both regulator and shareholder," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 142-150.
    26. Asit Bhattacharyya & Lorne Cummings, 2015. "Measuring Corporate Environmental Performance – Stakeholder Engagement Evaluation," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(5), pages 309-325, July.
    27. Preston, Lee E. & Sapienza, Harry J., 1990. "Stakeholder management and corporate performance," Journal of Behavioral Economics, Elsevier, vol. 19(4), pages 361-375.
    28. David Young & Ron Borland & Ken Coghill, 2012. "Changing the Tobacco Use Management System: Blending Systems Thinking with Actor–Network Theory," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 29(2), pages 251-279, March.
    29. Jaepil Choi & Heli Wang, 2009. "Stakeholder relations and the persistence of corporate financial performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(8), pages 895-907, August.
    30. Derk Loorbach & Janneke C. van Bakel & Gail Whiteman & Jan Rotmans, 2010. "Business strategies for transitions towards sustainable systems," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 19(2), pages 133-146, February.
    31. Farla, Jacco & Markard, Jochen & Raven, Rob & Coenen, Lars, 2012. "Sustainability transitions in the making: A closer look at actors, strategies and resources," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 79(6), pages 991-998.
    32. Bryant, Scott T. & Straker, Karla & Wrigley, Cara, 2020. "Designing our sustainable energy future: A shock doctrine for energy," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 147(C).
    33. Ana Beatriz Lopes de Sousa Jabbour & Diego Vazquez‐Brust & Charbel José Chiappetta Jabbour & Daniela Andriani Ribeiro, 2020. "The interplay between stakeholders, resources and capabilities in climate change strategy: converting barriers into cooperation," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(3), pages 1362-1386, March.
    34. Giorgos Papagiannakis & Irini Voudouris & Spyros Lioukas & George Kassinis, 2019. "Environmental management systems and environmental product innovation: The role of stakeholder engagement," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(6), pages 939-950, September.
    35. Marina Gigliotti & Andrea Runfola, 2022. "A stakeholder perspective on managing tensions in hybrid organizations: Analyzing fair trade for a sustainable development," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(7), pages 3198-3215, November.
    36. Alain Verbeke & Vincent Tung, 2013. "The Future of Stakeholder Management Theory: A Temporal Perspective," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 112(3), pages 529-543, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Karolina Bähr & Alexander Fliaster, 2023. "The twofold transition: Framing digital innovations and incumbents' value propositions for sustainability," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(2), pages 920-935, February.
    2. Aditi Khodke & Atsushi Watabe & Nigel Mehdi, 2021. "Implementation of Accelerated Policy-Driven Sustainability Transitions: Case of Bharat Stage 4 to 6 Leapfrogs in India," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-25, April.
    3. Simon L. Bager & Eric F. Lambin, 2020. "Sustainability strategies by companies in the global coffee sector," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(8), pages 3555-3570, December.
    4. Shubham & Parikshit Charan & L.S. Murty, 2018. "Secondary stakeholder pressures and organizational adoption of sustainable operations practices: The mediating role of primary stakeholders," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(7), pages 910-923, November.
    5. Kuokkanen, A. & Nurmi, A. & Mikkilä, M. & Kuisma, M. & Kahiluoto, H. & Linnanen, L., 2018. "Agency in regime destabilization through the selection environment: The Finnish food system’s sustainability transition," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(8), pages 1513-1522.
    6. Sofiane Laribi & Emmanuel Guy, 2020. "Promoting LNG as A Marine Fuel in Norway: Reflections on the Role of Global Regulations on Local Transition Niches," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-17, November.
    7. Franck Brulhart & Sandrine Gherra & Bertrand V. Quelin, 2019. "Do Stakeholder Orientation and Environmental Proactivity Impact Firm Profitability?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 158(1), pages 25-46, August.
    8. Nina Savela & Jarkko Levänen & Sara Lindeman & Nnenesi Kgabi & Heikki Koivisto & Meri Olenius & Samuel John & Damas Mashauri & Minna M. Keinänen-Toivola, 2020. "Rapid Urbanization and Infrastructure Pressure: Comparing the Sustainability Transition Potential of Water and Energy Regimes in Namibia," World, MDPI, vol. 1(2), pages 1-18, July.
    9. Kivimaa, Paula & Boon, Wouter & Hyysalo, Sampsa & Klerkx, Laurens, 2019. "Towards a typology of intermediaries in sustainability transitions: A systematic review and a research agenda," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(4), pages 1062-1075.
    10. Weigelt, Carmen & Lu, Shaohua & Verhaal, J. Cameron, 2021. "Blinded by the sun: The role of prosumers as niche actors in incumbent firms’ adoption of solar power during sustainability transitions," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(9).
    11. Bettini, Yvette & Brown, Rebekah R. & de Haan, Fjalar J. & Farrelly, Megan, 2015. "Understanding institutional capacity for urban water transitions," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 65-79.
    12. Catia Milena Lopes & Annibal José Scavarda & Guilherme Luís Roehe Vaccaro & Christopher Rosa Pohlmann & André Luis Korzenowski, 2018. "Perspective of Business Models and Innovation for Sustainability Transition in Hospitals," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-19, December.
    13. Peter S. Hofman & Constantin Blome & Martin C. Schleper & Nachiappan Subramanian, 2020. "Supply chain collaboration and eco‐innovations: An institutional perspective from China," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(6), pages 2734-2754, September.
    14. Jasminka Young & Aleksandar Macura, 2023. "Forging Local Energy Transition in the Most Carbon-Intensive European Region of the Western Balkans," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(4), pages 1-29, February.
    15. Busch, Timo, 2011. "Organizational adaptation to disruptions in the natural environment: The case of climate change," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 27(4), pages 389-404.
    16. Sofie Sandin, 2020. "Making Use of Evaluations to Support a Transition towards a More Sustainable Energy System and Society—An Assessment of Current and Potential Use among Swedish State Agencies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-26, October.
    17. Sillig, Cécile, 2022. "The role of ideology in grassroots innovation: An application of the arenas of development framework to organic in Europe," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    18. Ignė Stalmokaitė & Johanna Yliskylä-Peuralahti, 2019. "Sustainability Transitions in Baltic Sea Shipping: Exploring the Responses of Firms to Regulatory Changes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-23, March.
    19. Contesse, Maria & Duncan, Jessica & Legun, Katharine & Klerkx, Laurens, 2021. "Unravelling non-human agency in sustainability transitions," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 166(C).
    20. Darren Sharp & Robert Salter, 2017. "Direct Impacts of an Urban Living Lab from the Participants’ Perspective: Livewell Yarra," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-15, September.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:bla:bstrat:v:32:y:2023:i:1:p:673-685. 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: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1099-0836 .

    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.