University Report: Stakeholder Management for MR952 Road Upgrade

This report analyzes the stakeholder management strategies employed in the MR952 road upgrade project, undertaken by the John Taolo Gaetsewe Developmental Trust. The project involved upgrading a 3km section of road from gravel to bituminous wearing course, including related stormw...Read More

Running head: MANAGEMNT OF THE STAKEHOLDERS
Management of the Stakeholders
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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MANAGEMENT OF THE STAKEHOLDERS
Table of Contents
Response to question 1.1............................................................................................................2
Response to question 1.2............................................................................................................3
Response to question 1.3............................................................................................................4
Response to question 1.4............................................................................................................6
Response to question 1.5............................................................................................................6
Response to question 1.6............................................................................................................7
References.....................................................................................................................................9

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Response to question 1.1
a)An important role is played by each and every stakeholder for the aim of successful
completion of the project which in this case forms the up gradation of the road which is
namely MR952 road. The up gradation of the road becomes a crucial factor as it is
currently made of wearing course of gravel and is being aimed of being converted into a
wearing course which would be of bituminous (Mok, Shen and Yang 2015). The
procedure of up gradation of this particular road into bituminous wearing course
additionally focuses on the inclusion of management structures for soil erosion along
with storm water as well.
The methods which were utilized for the selection of the stakeholders comprises
of the abilities of the stakeholders who could successfully contribute their respective
inputs for systematic up gradation of this particular road. Basically, several capabilities
with respect to the up gradation of the roads needs to be possessed by the stakeholders
for getting selected for this particular project. This is referred to as power of the
stakeholders (Eskerod and Jepsen 2016). Several kinds of attributes of the stakeholder
which helps the managers in getting drawn towards them comprises of urgency, power
and legitimacy. In simple words, power of the stakeholders becomes a selection factor
because it indicates towards the capacity or the abilities of the stakeholder for producing
various effects for accomplishing the desired outcomes in a successful manner.
Apart from this, legitimacy indicates towards the perceived appropriateness or the
validation of any kind of claim of the stakeholders with respect to any kind of stake.
Higher degrees of legitimacy needs to be represented by the customers, employees etc.
Additionally, Urgency indicates towards the degrees up to which any kind of claims
made by any of the stakeholders with respect to the business demands for an
immediate response or attention (Doh and Quigley 2014). Next essential factor becomes
proximity which basically indicates towards ongoing spatial distance among any
organization with their respective stakeholders.
b) The engagement among stakeholders could commence by informing them about
several kinds of activities which needs to be performed by them and also keeping them

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informed regarding the timing of the commencement as well as the completion of those
particular activities which would turn helpful for upgrading the road from a gravel
wearing course to a much improvised bituminous wearing course (Eskerod, Huemann
and Savage 2015). The most interesting factor is that lower levels of the engagement of
the stakeholders is utilized for explaining and informing. Several kinds of formats at this
particular level might comprise of coverage of news, reports or publications.
Middle engagement levels would in turn mostly focus on the occurrence of
communication by numerous procedures of formats like that of social media, newsletter,
conferences and surveys to name a few (Johnson-Cramer, Berman and Post 2017).
Additionally, higher stakeholder management levels would be linked with the responsive
or active attempts for the aim of involving each and every stakeholder in the context of
decision making.
Response to question 1.2
Several kinds of methods which turned out to be successful in the context of easy
management of the stakeholders turned out to be transparency as the successful
engagement as well as the management of the stakeholder. The important fact is that
successful engagement of the stakeholders demands for several enterprises like these
for the aim of putting of efforts along with several kinds of resources with respect to
managing, reviewing, strengthening and at the same time recasting the relationships
with every single stakeholder associated with this particular organization be the
stakeholder is old or the stakeholder is new.
With each and every passing, transparency is becoming a necessary factor which
would help a lot with respect to successful engagement of the stakeholders for the
successfully accomplishing and at the same time achieving each and every goal
associated with the upgrading this particular road from gravel towards bituminous
wearing course (Yang and Shen, 2015). The stakeholders needs to be engaged on the
basis of sustainability which is equally important as well. It in turn possesses higher
rates of success because it would in turn demand the involvement of several kinds of

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stakeholders like that of consumers, social media along with the communities on the
initiatives as well as developments of sustainability.
The corporation of the stakeholders also becomes very necessary in accordance
with the engagement of the stakeholders. Several kinds of crisis were associated with
development of this particular projects. All the risks as well as crisis associated with the
development of the project were countered with the involvement of the all the
stakeholders who performed well and at the same time worked very hard for converting
the road from which was previously made of gravel wearing course to bituminous
wearing course (Eskerod and Vaagaasar 2014). The main thing which needs to be
focused upon the most forms the up gradation of this particular road. Increment in the
several levels of the engagement of the stakeholders also contributes towards fulfilling
various types of risks, issues along with crisis which were directly associated with up
grading this particular road.
A major role was played by all the stakeholders by cooperating with each other
and understanding the importance of upgrading the road with the inclusion of several
kinds of inputs which were represented by them.
Response to question 1.3
As it very commonly known that it becomes impossible for a project to get
developed or a road to get converted without the presence of any kind of stakeholders
by the side of the managers of the project along with each and every members of team
who are solely accountable for upgrading the road to a much better level which is
basically bituminous wearing course (Garcia‐Castro and Francoeur 2016). The
involvement of several kinds of stakeholders became essential at different stages of
upgrading this road. Certain stakeholder who specialize in the field of the performing
several earthworks which are bulk turned very helpful in upgrading the road.
The expertise of cutting for the aim of spoiling or both cutting as well as borrowing
for filling were only proposed by those particular stakeholders (Weiss 2014). The
department of Roads and Public Works in the context of both province along with district
as well formed one of the major stakeholders for upgrading the road to a much higher

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level which would turn very advantageous for those who would utilize this particular
road. On the other hand, expertise would also be required in structuring the road which
in turn would comprise of 20&10mm double seal of the wearing course along with
150MM G4 Crushed Stone which would form the base for the aim of upgrading the road
towards bituminous wearing course.
Additionally, the stakeholders who possesses expertise with respect or are
accountable for supplying 150mm G5/G6 selected layer along with the sub base would
be required at the time of structuring of the road. An essential role is played by the
structuring of the road because if this particular road does not get structured in a correct
as well as systematic manner, several kinds of severe problems would be faced by each
and every stakeholder who are associated with this particular project along with the
managers of the projects (Andriof and Waddock 2017). Further, higher levels of
confusion would take place among every single member of the team as to what needs to
be done for countering the drawbacks which takes place if this road gets poorly
structured.
An important role is also played by the local municipality which is namely Joe
Morolong Local Municipality which involves seeking permission form the managers of
the municipality before taking every single step which are mostly essential for the aim of
up gradation of the road. Seeking of permissions from the all the offices of the mayor
along with the inclusion of the councilor or the chairperson of the ward becomes very
necessary. They are of great help in the context of implementation of several kinds of
strategies which were previously planned with respect to the up gradation of this road
which in turn would turn useful for the people who utilize as well.
The municipal manager becomes an important stakeholder as he or she
becomes responsible several kinds of tasks which are directly linked with the
administration. The councilor of the ward is equally helpful for the up gradation of this
specific road (Henisz, Dorobantu and Nartey 2014). Additionally, the councilor of the
wards becomes accountable for bridging the gap between the council and the
communities as well.

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Several engineering consultants of KMSD are required when suggestion related
to various types of aspects of upgrading the road comes within the picture and needs to
be solved within a certain span of time. The most important stakeholder forms the tribal
authority of Ba Bothithong whose vies are really very important with respect to the up
gradation of this specific road and would they be comfortable with the transformation in
structuring as well as upgrading the road which is mostly utilized by them. An important
role is also played by the community along with the JTG District Municipality for the aim
of successful up gradation of this specific road.
Response to question 1.4
It is commonly known that certain set of conflicts gets attached with any kind of
project which is being worked upon by the managers of the project, every single
member of the team along with each and every stakeholder aiming for successful
accomplishment of the up gradation of the road in a very systematic procedure. Several
conflicts which occurred was few activities were not performed as it got planned in the
previous phases along with the mismatch of ideas and interest.
But, with the implementation of several methods of engagement of the
stakeholders, these conflicts were countered with time (O’Riordan and Fairbrass 2014).
Each and every stakeholder were communicated about the important information
regarding the activities which needs to completed such that this particular road could
upgraded in a successful manner within the span of time which has already been
decided. Every kind of information needs to be communicated such that each and every
stakeholder could get engaged and could be able to cooperate with each other with the
inclusion of various kinds of formats like that of emails, conferences, regular meetings
etc.
Response to question 1.5
The overall impact of the engagement of the stakeholder had a positive impact
with respect to the up gradation of the road. This could be assessed by the procedure of
witnessing accomplishment of the goals linked with the up gradation of the road in a
very successful manner (Herremans, Nazari and Mahmoudian 2016). Several

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objectives and aims linked with the up gradation of the project were mostly met as the
installation of the barrier as well as the mountable edge beams and kerbs were
completed in a very systematic procedure (Luoma-aho 2015).
Additionally, numerous sign boards of the roads got installed at essential places along
with the inclusion of the road markings providing important indications of the roads
which was being converted for course wearing of gravel towards course wearing which
was bituminous and turned very advantageous for the people by whom the road is
utilized on a regular and a routine basis. Several pipe culverts with respect to both outlet
as well as inlet structures were also successful installed for the aim of upgrading this
particular road (Dawkins 2014). Additionally, the installation as well as the inclusion of
the stone pitching added to higher rates of achieving higher objectives of this particular
project. Further, the structuring of the road got performed along with the inclusion of in-
situ material.
Each and every stakeholder associated with the up gradation of the road worked
very hard for meeting most of the requirements of the project. They in turn focused on
the installation of the open drains such that water could easily pass away and not get
stagnant on the road. This was majorly focused on by the engineering consultants
because storage of water on the road which would be upgraded is not beneficial and is
harmful at the same time (Payne and Calton 2017). The reason behind this is that the
development of the up gradation of the road could be harmed and at the same point of
time, several other activities related with the development of the project would get
hampered.
On the other side, higher levels of engagement among each and every
stakeholder led to the correct installation of culverts which are portable along with the
inclusion of the completion of both outlet and the inlet structures as well (Camilleri
2015). The walkway structure was also majorly focused the conversion of the wearing
courses that is gravel wearing course in to bituminous wearing course involved a double
seal at the same time such that the road could get upgraded with the involvement of
good levels of base, sub base along with the selected layer (Sierra‐García, Zorio‐Grima,

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and García‐Benau, 2015). But still, the outcomes of installing several kinds of materials
could have been done in a proper manner for the achievement of better outcomes.
Response to question 1.6
Several activities like that of the installation of the pitching of stone could be
performed in a much better manner and would be monitored on a regular basis for the
identification of any kind of drawbacks emerging because of the installation of the stone
pitching. Additionally, more open drains could be installed such that water could be
easily passed. Increment in the number of road markings and road sign boards would
turn helpful for people. The structure of road could involve more sub bases with the
involvement of stabilized materials of higher quality such that the road could be
upgraded in a strong manner. Good quality of crushed stone would be utilized for a
strong base for the aim of improvisation of the outcomes.

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References
Andriof, J. and Waddock, S., 2017. Unfolding stakeholder engagement. In Unfolding
stakeholder thinking (pp. 19-42). Routledge.
Camilleri, M.A., 2015. Valuing stakeholder engagement and sustainability reporting.
Corporate Reputation Review, 18(3), pp.210-222.
Dawkins, C.E., 2014. The principle of good faith: Toward substantive stakeholder
engagement. Journal of Business Ethics, 121(2), pp.283-295.
Doh, J.P. and Quigley, N.R., 2014. Responsible leadership and stakeholder
management: Influence pathways and organizational outcomes. Academy of
Management Perspectives, 28(3), pp.255-274.
Eskerod, P. and Jepsen, A.L., 2016. Project stakeholder management. Routledge.
Eskerod, P. and Vaagaasar, A.L., 2014. Stakeholder management strategies and
practices during a project course. Project Management Journal, 45(5), pp.71-85.
Eskerod, P., Huemann, M. and Savage, G., 2015. Project stakeholder management—
Past and present. Project Management Journal, 46(6), pp.6-14.
Garcia‐Castro, R. and Francoeur, C., 2016. When more is not better:
Complementarities, costs and contingencies in stakeholder management. Strategic
Management Journal, 37(2), pp.406-424.
Henisz, W.J., Dorobantu, S. and Nartey, L.J., 2014. Spinning gold: The financial returns
to stakeholder engagement. Strategic Management Journal, 35(12), pp.1727-1748.
Herremans, I.M., Nazari, J.A. and Mahmoudian, F., 2016. Stakeholder relationships,
engagement, and sustainability reporting. Journal of Business Ethics, 138(3), pp.417-
435.

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Johnson-Cramer, M.E., Berman, S.L. and Post, J.E., 2017. Re-examining the concept of
‘stakeholder management’. In Unfolding Stakeholder Thinking 2 (pp. 145-161).
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