A Systematic Literature Stakeholder Theory: Review On Theoretical Development And Research Trends

Abstract

This study aims to map the development of studies on stakeholder mapping in various organizational contexts and identify theoretical and methodological approaches, as well as future research directions. In line with the increasing complexity of the global business environment, stakeholder theory is seen not only as a framework for identifying actors, but also as an analytical tool for understanding the relational dynamics, salience, and contributions between stakeholders in value creation. The method used is a Systematic Literature Review with a PRISMA approach through a search of the Scopus database for the period 2010–2025. Selection was based on relevance, accessibility, and theoretical and empirical contributions. Selected articles were analyzed thematically to identify patterns of theoretical development and methodological diversity, ranging from SLR, bibliometrics, SEM/PLS-based quantitative surveys, panel regression, to qualitative and mixed-method case studies. The results show that SLR/bibliometrics and SEM/PLS are the most dominant methods in stakeholder mapping research, followed by surveys and regression, which are widely used to assess the relationship between stakeholder pressure, innovation, and organizational performance. Thematically, recent research highlights a shift toward relational and collaborative understandings that emphasize network dynamics, cognition, and institutional pressure as key determinants in value formation. In addition, stakeholder engagement has been shown to encourage the adoption of sustainability practices, green innovation, and new business model transitions. This study concludes that stakeholder mapping contributes significantly to collaborative strategy design, but there are still gaps related to the context of developing countries and the lack of a longitudinal approach. Further research is recommended to explore the integration of cross-country approaches and the strengthening of normative dimensions to enrich theoretical and practical understanding.