This video shows how to conduct a stakeholder analysis. It explains how to analyse stakeholders by power/influence versus interest. For a written step by step guide see http://www.stakeholdermap.com/stakeholder-analysis.html

Stakeholders are essential to success of a business, programme or project. A stakeholder is anyone with an interest in your business or project. They can be junior or senior and they could be internal or external to your business.

Stakeholders are important because they have the power to positively or negatively impact any organisation. If you are not convinced about the importance of stakeholder management see this case study http://www.stakeholdermap.com/importance-stakeholder-management.html