CS CS Stakeholder Management & Communication 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The primary purpose of a stakeholder mapping exercise in strategic planning is to:
- Create an org chart
- Identify and prioritize individuals or groups who affect or are affected by the strategy (Correct answer)
- Document IT systems
- Map physical office locations
Correct answer: Identify and prioritize individuals or groups who affect or are affected by the strategy
Stakeholder mapping categorizes stakeholders by influence and interest so strategists can tailor engagement to manage support and mitigate opposition.
Question 2: Which stakeholder engagement approach is most appropriate for high-power, high-interest stakeholders?
- Monitor with minimal communication
- Keep informed through general newsletters
- Manage closely with regular, tailored communication and consultation (Correct answer)
- Ignore unless they raise issues
Correct answer: Manage closely with regular, tailored communication and consultation
High-power, high-interest stakeholders can most significantly advance or block a strategy, requiring deep, ongoing engagement to maintain their alignment and support.
Question 3: A communication plan in strategy execution should specify which key elements?
- Office furniture preferences
- Messages, audiences, channels, timing, and feedback mechanisms (Correct answer)
- IT hardware specifications
- HR benefits packages
Correct answer: Messages, audiences, channels, timing, and feedback mechanisms
Effective communication plans ensure the right message reaches the right audience through the right channel at the right time, with feedback loops to assess understanding.
Question 4: The concept of 'managing up' in stakeholder relations refers to:
- Promoting subordinates into leadership roles
- Strategically communicating and influencing one's own leaders and executives (Correct answer)
- Escalating all decisions to senior management
- Providing performance reviews to superiors
Correct answer: Strategically communicating and influencing one's own leaders and executives
Managing up involves proactively keeping senior stakeholders informed, framing issues strategically, and building executive trust to secure resources and support.
Question 5: Stakeholder analysis in the US context typically requires compliance with which communication-related regulation when dealing with publicly traded companies?
- OSHA
- SEC Regulation FD (Fair Disclosure) (Correct answer)
- HIPAA
- Sarbanes-Oxley Section 409
Correct answer: SEC Regulation FD (Fair Disclosure)
Regulation FD prohibits US public companies from selectively disclosing material nonpublic information to certain investors without simultaneous broad disclosure.
Question 6: A stakeholder with high power but low interest in a strategic initiative should be:
- Closely managed with frequent detailed briefings
- Kept satisfied with periodic high-level updates (Correct answer)
- Ignored to save communication resources
- Made a project sponsor immediately
Correct answer: Kept satisfied with periodic high-level updates
High-power, low-interest stakeholders can become blockers if ignored, so keeping them satisfied with appropriate-level communication is the recommended engagement strategy.
CS CS Stakeholder Management & Communication 1
The primary purpose of a stakeholder mapping exercise in strategic planning is to: