Example stakeholder management dissertation topic 3:

Stakeholder involvement in the management of charitable institutions employing fewer than 100 staff

The charity sector in the UK is comprised of over 170,000 organisations, of differing sizes. The Coalition Government’s promotion of the ‘Big Society’ encourages increased involvement in charitable institutions. This dissertation considers the effects of widening stakeholder involvement in charities, for example through the placement of representatives from beneficiary groups on management teams, and examines whether this is a force for good. Possible repercussions could include increased polarisation between those ‘who know best’ and those ‘who know how it feels’, the insertion of insufficiently trained and educates management within key positions, and a greater understanding of where the distribution of charitable funds could make the greatest difference. Using a mix of primary and secondary research, the dissertation includes a model of both types of charity management – one with significant stakeholder involvement in management, and one without, and compares the two.

Suggested initial topic reading:

• Brammer, S. and Millington, A. (2004) ‘The development of corporate charitable contributions in the UK: A stakeholder analysis’, Journal of Management Studies, Vol. 41(8), pp. 1411-1434.
• Hyndman, N. and McDonnell, P. (2009) ‘Governance and charities: An exploration of key themes and the development of a research agenda’, Business Ethics: A European Review, Vol. 81(1), pages 14-25.