“Let the Water Speak” Using Fictional Writing to Revisit Stakeholder Theories and Give a Voice to Invisibilized Stakeholders

Abstract

Understanding the dynamic relationships of the entities that have the most impact on an organization—or that the organization impacts the most—is at the core of stakeholder management approaches. In this article, we present an experiential exercise that provides a creative practical, low-overhead, discussion-oriented classroom activity to engage in a critical examination of the concept of stakeholders. This exercise is especially effective for the stakeholders usually invisibilized. Rather than relying on presenting stakeholder theory, this exercise uses fictional writing as a way for students to give a voice to water, a most often invisibilized stakeholder on an academic campus. The activity encourages reflection on the perception we hold toward certain stakeholders and aims to raise awareness toward the underrepresentation of some of them despite the centrality of their contribution to the organization. The exercise also enables students to grasp that there are limits when trying to speak on behalf of someone or something that structurally does not have a voice. This exercise can be used at the graduate level. Recommendations for adapting the exercise to the large classes are included.