Stakeholder Engagement as Accountability or Autonomy?

Abstract

The scholarly debate on agencies has largely concentrated on principal-agent relations, focusing on the accountability and independence of agencies vis-à-vis public actors (principal control). However, agency relations with private actors may serve as fire alarms in holding agencies to account by alerting the principal. Stakeholder engagement might also enhance agency autonomy: agencies that are able to successfully build a strong reputation vis-à-vis relevant audiences gain autonomy, and their reputation may weaken or supplant mechanisms of steering and accountability. This panel includes papers on why agencies engage with stakeholders and how they communicate with audiences. Moreover, on the implications of agencies’ stakeholder engagement for autonomy, accountability, reputation and authority.