Instructions and Rubric for

Group Assignment $-$ Stakeholder Map and Analysis $(20\%)$

Purpose of Assessment:

The Stakeholder Map and Analysis is a collaborative assignment that involves goal setting, issue forecasting, influence screening, problem$-$solving, and strategic planning. For this assignment, you will assume the role of consultants hired by a business to improve its legitimacy in the face of an actual issue or crisis that is$,$ at most, $6$ months old from September $2023.$

Value:

This group assignment is worth $20\%$ of your course grade.

Course Learning Objectives $($CLOs$)$:

By completing this assessment, you will be able to:

$$ CLO $2\mathrm{.}1$: Recognize business as one institution in society and understand that its activities are influenced by other institutions and individuals referred to as stakeholders.

$$ CLO $2\mathrm{.}2$: Identify and explain the corporation$$s stakeholders generally and the stakeholders relating to particular issues confronting the corporation.

$$ CLO $2\mathrm{.}3$: Recognize the important role managers play in relation to stakeholders.

$$ CLO $2\mathrm{.}4$ Define the issues life cycle and determine the importance of managing issues.

$$ CLO $2\mathrm{.}5$ Explain the importance of managing issues that become crises.

$$ CLO $2\mathrm{.}6$ Discuss the importance of stakeholder analysis, stakeholder management, and stakeholder mapping

Due:

This group assessment is due by Friday, February $16$th by $11$:$59$ pm $($EST$).$

The Task:

In teams of three to four, you will identify and analyze a current business issue or crisis and its impact on stakeholders before developing a stakeholder engagement strategy to improve the organization$$s legitimacy.

Time Commitment:

This group assignment should take you approximately $5-7$ hours to complete.

How to Complete this Assessment:

Please follow the steps below to create your team Stakeholder Map and Analysis:

$1.$ Form into groups of three or four. You are responsible for forming partnerships or small groups $($no more than three$).$ To help, I have opened a Chat Forum in Moodle $($see the tab for Week $4).$ Use this to connect with classmates in our section of BUS $1153.$

$2.$ Once your group is formed, please create a name for your CSR consulting firm.

$3.$ Select a current business issue or crisis in Canada or beyond $($yes$,$ you can assess international business issues$).$ The business's location, size, or scale does not matter$$currency matters. Please select a problem or crisis that is no more than six months old from September $2023.$

$4.$ Format your assignment using the following sub$-$headings. Please read and review the instructions below to learn more about each section:

Section #$1$: Issue$/$Crisis Identification

Clearly describe the issue or crisis leading to a corporate legitimacy crisis. Assume that I have no prior knowledge of the issue or crisis. In the spirit of academic integrity, you must cite your sources $($both in the text and a Reference section at the end of your assignment$)$ whenever you paraphrase and$/$or directly quote from all sources. Use the APA documentation style as it is commonly used in Business. Resources are available to help you format your assignments using APA. Click here to learn more.

Section #$2$: Issue$/$Crisis Analysis

Next, map each issue on the $$Issue Life Cycle$($see figure below$).$ Use this tool to determine the current stage of the issue and then explain why you think the issue is at a particular stage $($T$1$ to T$5).$ Provide evidence using news reports, posts, or comments on social platforms, government responses, etc. to support your claim.

Figure $1$: Issue Life Cycle:

Section #$3$: Stakeholder Identification and Analysis

Complete the Stakeholder Identification and Analysis table we reviewed in class in Weeks $3$ and $4$ to identify and assess the importance of stakeholder impact, influence, etc. Start by listing the stakeholders who are directly and indirectly impacted by the business issue or crisis.

Here are a few questions to help push your brainstorming beyond the obvious. You can answer these questions directly, or you can incorporate them into your Stakeholder Identification and Analysis table if you prefer:

$$ Which stakeholders will likely emerge as the issue or crisis evolves through the Issue Life Cycle?

$$ Who are the competitors$$ stakeholders? How might the legitimacy crisis impact them? How might federal and international governments become involved if this is an industry$-$wide legitimacy crisis?

$$ Who are the loudest voices?

$***$ Hint $$ this is not always our most prominent group of stakeholders.....take a peek at social media to see who$$s communicating about issues facing the business or industry.

$$ What are some new business trends, and how might these trends help to reveal less obvious or new stakeholder groups?

$$ What is the business or the industry$$s relationship with NGOs?

$$ How might this issue or crisis impact the company$$s corporate partners? For example, if the business uses celebrity ambassadors or influencers, how might thi