WCM: A web content‐based method of stakeholder analysis

• Published in: MethodsX Vol. 9; p. 101635
• Main Authors: Raum, Susanne, Rawlings-Sanaei, Felicity
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.01.2022; Elsevier
• Subjects: Content analysis; Key word search; Method; Qualitative research; Stakeholder mapping; Systematic stakeholder analysis; Web content-based method (WCM); Stakeholder mapping; Qualitative research; Web content-based method (WCM); Key word search; Systematic stakeholder analysis; Content analysis
• ISSN: 2215-0161; 2215-0161
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mex.2022.101635

[Display omitted] This article presents a systematic method to conduct stakeholder analyses using textual data from stakeholder websites. WCM, a novel web content-based method comprises stakeholder information and the use of keywords in a content analysis of relevant preselected stakeholder websites. Traditional stakeholder analysis approaches frequently rely on personal interpretation rather than empirical analysis. WCM aims to address this limitation by offering a user-friendly and empirical method that helps generate knowledge from multiple websites. With qualitative and / or quantitative application, it is particularly useful for small-scale studies in complex contexts and where resources are limited. WCM differs from many commonly used stakeholder analysis methods as it adopts replicable, systematic and transparent procedures. While not without limitations, this method provides an effective tool to support researchers, non-governmental organizations, and industry in different fields and locations, to undertake stakeholder analysis.•The WCM method is a systematic, explicit, transparent, and transferable procedure to conduct stakeholder analysis.•WCM has application in both qualitative and quantitative content analysis of stakeholder websites.•WCM provides a user-friendly method to provide a broad overview of stakeholder interests with limited resources.