Every stakeholder engagement process has a reverberating effect that may go beyond the system being targeted.

The benefit is that the broadest possible view and understanding of factors that influence and that are active in your stakeholders lives, is achieved

An approach to stakeholder engagement is one based on Ecosystemic Thinking, i.e. the merging of human/social ecology and Systems Thinking. Anyone who wishes to initiate a change such as introducing a new venture, shifting current perceptions and behaviour or launching a new product or brand, is as much part of a system as the stakeholders that are being impacted on.

A company acting as an initiator or agent of change is also impacted upon by the effects that the change initiative has caused. Every stakeholder engagement process therefore is an ongoing iterative process of contact and interaction. And every stakeholder engagement process has a reverberating effect that may go beyond the system being targeted.

• It is a multiple level perspective
• Living systems are complex in that the 'parts' are interrelated to each other
• There is a focus on the context of interaction among people and their environment
• Strategy and conceptualisation is based on an interactive description and assessment of the change situation
• The benefit is that the broadest possible view and understanding of factors that influence and that are active in your stakeholders lives, is achieved

The Microsystem is made up of the interpersonal relationships as well as activities and roles of a person in its various settings, e.g. family setting, work setting.

The Mesosystem comprises the interrelationships and connections between two or more Microsystems of which the person is part of, such as the relationship between the family and work.

The Exosystem does not involve the person directly in that he is not an active participant. But events may occur in the Exosystem that affect what happens in the Microsystem and Mesosystem. A company may for example introduce a new service that changes the way the person's family spends its leisure time.

The Macrosystem entails the cultural stability, the social values and beliefs that define the other three systems and how they interrelate. Society for example has certain perceptions about how companies should behave in this day and age. These perceptions impact on the way corporations now need to manage their reputations.

Analysing and assessing stakeholders across these levels ensures a more profound understanding and the ability to initiate engagement strategies that have meaningful and sustainable effect.