Stakeholder Analysis
In this section a stakeholder analysis will be performed to gain insight over the main actors that have
interest in the problem. The basic stakeholder analysis technique proposed by Enserink et al (2004)
will be used to identify stakeholders and their interests and clarify their view on the problem.
Thereafter a stakeholder-issue interrelationship diagram has been constructed to see more in depth
what relations and positions are in place. The central issue in this research and starting point in the
stakeholder analysis is: the limited car accessibility of Nijmegen City Center (during peak hours)
In analyzing the car accessibility of Nijmegen, performing a stakeholder analysis can be useful for the
following reason:
-
Qualitative improvements for a problem analysis, because more insight is gained on
information, knowledge and core values of involved actors;
Applying a stakeholder analysis is done while performing a number of general steps1:
1. Take the car accessibility problem as starting point
2. Inventory of the arena(circle) of related actors
3. Explaining the Stakeholder Objectives, Perceptions and Resources/instruments concerning
the problem
4. Defining Critical and Dedicated Stakeholders
a. A critical actor is defined as an actor that has resources with which he/she can
support/oppose the problem owner, in this case the Municipality of Nijmegen
b. A dedicated actor is defined as an actor who is willing to involve himself in trying to
solve the problem
After applying a stakeholder analysis it becomes clear which stakeholders are involved in the project,
how their role in the project could be defined and how much power (in terms of money, position
etc.) they had in this project. Eventually, with these insights, the problem owner (the Municipality of
Nijmegen) can determine which parties always have a significant authority in affecting the problem
(by supporting or opposing) and thus they can partly base their decisions on this information.
Table 1 gives an overview of the methodology used to perform this stakeholder analysis.
Stakeholders
Objectives
Preferred
Situation/Goal
Which situation the
stakeholder prefers
Resources
Which stakeholder Their
objectives
Which
resources
is involved in the and core values
the stakeholder has
car
accessibility
to assist or hinder
problem
of
Nijmegen
Table 1: Stakeholder Objectives, Perceptions and Resources
Dedicated Actors
Critical
1
Non-
Enserink, B. et. al. (2004), Analyse van Complexe Omgevingen, 4e druk, TU Delft; Ch.5
Non-Dedicated
Actors
Critical Non-
Critical
Same
oriented Municipality
of
Nijmegen,
Offensief
perceptions,
Bereikbaarheid etc.
interests and goals
Opposing perceptions, Environmental organizations, Some Political
interests and goals
parties(etc)
Table 2: Example of critical and dedicated actors in Nijmegen car accessibility problem
Critical
Identified Stakeholders
Generally the word ‘stakeholder’ refers to persons, groups or organizations that must somehow be
taken into account by policy makers, leaders, managers and front-line staff. According to Bryson
stakeholder analyses are now arguably more important than ever because of the increasingly
interconnected nature of the world. Choose the public problem – accessibility – and it is clear that
‘the problem’ affects numerous people, groups and organizations. At the same time many groups
and organizations are involved, affected or have some partial responsibility to act. Figuring out what
the problem is and what solutions might improve the situation are actually part of the problem, and
taking stakeholders into account is a crucial aspect of problem solving.
Based on this also in this research attention to stakeholders related with the accessibility problem is
important. In the overview below all the identified stakeholders related to the accessibility problem
in Nijmegen are listed:

Local Government (Gemeente Nijmegen)

City Region (Stadsregio)

Province (Province Gelderland)

National Government

Kamer van Koophandel

Entrepreneurs City Center

‘Offensief Bereikbaarheid’

Commuters

Environmental organizations

Inhabitants

Local Political parties of Nijmegen
As can be seen in the list above, the first stakeholder is the local government of Nijmegen. This actor
is chosen to be the problem owner in this research. This is because they define policy in Nijmegen
and have resources like capital, policy and decision power. In their policy better accessibility of the
city is stated as one of the important goals. Table 1 (in Annex Stakeholder analysis) gives an overview
of how these actors are related with the problem. The involved actors are defined as dedicated and
non-dedicated actors. In table XX these actors can be fined.
Dedicated Actors
Critical
Non-Critical
Critical
Non-Dedicated Actors
Non-Critical
Same oriented
perceptions,
interests and goals
Municipality
of
Nijmegen,
Offensief Bereikbaarheid, Province
Gelderland, Political parties( VVD,
CDA)
National
government,
CityRegion
KVK,
Entrepreneurs
City Center,
Commuters,
Inhabitants
Opposing
Environmental Groups, Political
perceptions,
parties (PvDA, SP, Groenlinks)
interests and goals
Table 3: Example of critical and dedicated actors in Nijmegen car accessibility problem
The overview of actors categorized in the table above gives the problem owner an impression about
possible reactions of actors in their environment according to the accessibility problem and possible
solution directions.
Conflicts of interests
Different conflicts can be indentified between the critical dedicated actors. One of the main conflicts
is between the Environmental groups on the one hand and the Kamer van Koophandel and the
Entrepeneurs City Center on the other. The former are against more infrastructures for cars and
strive for more car reducing measures, whereas the latter claim that more infrastructure and other
car oriented measures are necessary for increasing the accessibility of the city center for more
infrastructure. The local government is situated somewhere in between those parties. In the
Discussienota Nijmegen Betrouwbaar Bereikbaar (2009) they state that new infrastructure is not
desired and that other measures should be looked at first. Van den Anker, local government
representative, (Interview, 2010) confirms this in an interview. However, they also promote more
parking availability around the city center which leans towards the point that the KvK and city center
entrepreneurs make.
Also political parties are divided when solution directions are concerned. PvdA, SP and GroenLinks
are against physical infrastructural measures in the city center while CDA and VVD are willing to
consider measures of that kind when proved these contribute to accessibility.
Almost all political parties agree that parking space availability should increase, except for Groenlinks
that does not mention it. Examples of conflicting measures include the possible affection of the city
characteristics when new infrastructure is built and possible removal of nature and green in case of
physical measures. Also, parties favoring bike and public transport conflict with the business parties
(KvK, City Center Entrepreneurs) who claim that bike and public transport alternatives only have
marginal effect and that car accessibility should be the focus.
Stakeholder Issue interrelationship
Stakeholder- issue interrelationship diagrams help show which stakeholders have interest in different
issues (Bryson, 2004). Also this diagram shows how the stakeholders might be related to other
stakeholders through their relationships with the issues. The issues came from the results of the
stakeholder analysis (see Annex Stakeholder analysis, last column) derived from the interests of the
dedicated actors. The main three issues are: Accessibility, Livability and Costs. Beside these issues
other like Land use, City Characteristics and Economical growth are also mentioned by some actors.
As we focus in this project on the issues interested by the Municipality of Nijmegen (PE), criteria will
be defined according to these main issues of the problem owner. These are Accessibility, Livability
and Costs. These issues are also of interests of the other stakeholders. The stakeholder-issue
interrelationship diagram below represents which stakeholder find which issue important. The
thicker the line between actor and issue, the more interest the stakeholder has in that issue.
Accessibility
Political
parties
Offensief
Bereikbaar
heid
City
Region
commuters
Province
Inhabitants
Local
governme
nt
Livability
Entrepreneu
rs City
Center
Environmental
organizations
KvK
National
governme
nt
Costs
Figure 1 Stakeholder – issue interrelationship diagram
Each of the issues listed above comprehends several sub issues. All the issues will be the basis for
defining criteria. Criteria to generate and evaluate measures will be defined on basis of these three
main issues mentioned in the stakeholder issue interrelationship diagram. Accessibility will be
defined as the main criterion to generate and evaluate measures. Livability and costs are concerned
to be secondary criteria. In chapter 5 can be found how these criteria are defined and how they will
be assessed and evaluated.
Annex: Stakeholder Analysis
After applying a stakeholder analysis it becomes clear which stakeholders were involved within the
accessibility problem, how their role and core values in the project could be defined and how much
power (in terms of money, position etc.) they had in this project. Eventually, with these insights, the
Municipality of Nijmegen can determine which parties always have a significant authority and thus
they can partly adapt their strategy in the case they want to improve car accessibility.
The central issue in this research and starting point in the stakeholder analysis is: the Limited car
accessibility of Nijmegen City Center (during peak hours), (Current/Expected situation) due to the
highly congested Waalbrug route during peak hours (cause).
In the overview below all the identified stakeholders related to the accessibility problem in Nijmegen
are listed:

Local Government (Gemeente Nijmegen)

City Region (Stadsregio)

Province (Province Gelderland)

National Government

Kamer van Koophandel (KVK)

Entrepreneurs City Center

‘Offensief Bereikbaarheid’

Commuters

Environmental organizations

Inhabitants

Local Political parties of Nijmegen (PVDA, VVD, SP, CDA, Groenlinks)
Stakeholders
Local Government (Municipality of
Nijmegen)
City Region (Stadsregio)
Province (Province Gelderland)
Interests
Prosperous
Municipality
(welvarende gemeente)
- Guarantee
optimal(car)
accessibility
City
Center/good livability
- Stimulate local economy by
making Nijmegen accessible
for
customers
and
employees
- Stimulate Mobility
Attractive, good accessible and
international competitive region
-
Sustainable
development
accessibility and mobility on province
level (Province Gelderland)
Preferred Situation/Goal
- Optimal/Reliable
accessibility
Nijmegen city center
(no road congestion)
- increase
livability
Nijmegen
- stimulate economy
-
National Government
-
-
Sustainable
development
accessibility and mobility on
national level
Stimulate
growth
of
economy
-
-
Entrepreneurs City Center
Realizing or continuing a profitable
organization/business
-
-
Growth economy city
region
Create Employment
Optimal accessibility
Maximize
employment
Minimize
environmental
damage
Reliable accessibility
Province
Optimal accessibility
to
and
from
Nijmegen
Reliable and safe
(road)transport
Minimal
environmental
damage
Strong economy
Maximum
profits
(Attracting maximum
number of clients)
Low costs (Good
accessible)
Resources/Instruments
- Policy
- Subsidy
- Capital(Financial
influence)
- Power to develop
road infrastructure
Issues
-
Accessibility
Livability
Costs
City
characteristi
cs
-
City Region plans
-
Growth
Economy
-
Policy Province level
Provincial plans
Financial power
-
Livability
Accessibility
-
Financial power
National policy
-
Livability
Accessibility
Economy
growth
-
Profitability
Accessibility
Interference power
(Hindrance power)/
actions/protests/ no
investments)
Kamer van Koophandel(KvK)
Justify(civil) and safe trade/business
of associated business parties
‘Offensief Bereikbaarheid’
Optimal accessibility of Nijmegen city
center by better cooperation
between public and private parties
Commuters
Optimal accessibility (route Waalbrug
to the City center)
Environmental organizations
-
Healthy
and
environment
No land use
High
values
characteristics
-
Low costs
High profits
Sustainable business
Minimal congestion
road
network
Nijmegen City Center
-
Hindrance Power
No investments
-
Profitability
Accessibility
-
Policy
Hindrance power
-
Accessibility
Costs
-
-
Hindrance power
-
Accessibility
Costs
-
Livability
Land use
City
Characteristi
cs
Clean
-
city
-
Minimal congestion
route
Minimal Costs
High Safety
Minimal
environmental
damage
Sustainable mobility
- Hindrance power
- Use of juridical
procedures
- Access to media
Inhabitants
-
Good living environment
Nijmegen City Center must
be good accessible by car
and public transport
-
Optimal livability
Optimal Accessibility
-
Hindrance power
Actions/Protests
Use of juridical
procedures
-
Livability
Accessibility
PvdA
-
High quality public transport
High quality bike network
combined with transferia
Increase of parking facilities
Parking
-
Optimal accessibility
city center by PT and
bike
alternatives,
parking
High Safety (bike
network)
Livability
Optimal accessibility
by
non-car
alternatives
High Safety
City characteristics
Optimal accessibility
-
Decision
power
(political power)
-
Livability
-
Decision power
(political power)
-
Livability
City
Characteristi
cs
-
Decision power
-
Livability
-
SP
Groenlinks
-
Means of transferia to
improve accessibility
Stimulate bike and PT use
More parking
-
Sustainable use transport
-
-
-
modes(bus, bike etc)
VVD
Stimulate accessibility by
car, public transport, bike
- More
car
infrastructure/Parking
CDA
- More
car
infrastructure/Parking
- Improve
quality
public
transport
- Pricing measures
Table 1: Stakeholder Objectives, Perceptions and Resources
-
-
by
non-car
alternatives
Optimal livability
(political power)
Optimal accessibility
by all modes
- Decision power
(Political power)
-
Accessibility
Livability
Optimal accessibility
by
all
modes,
especially car
- Decision power
(Political power)
-
Accessibility
Livability
-