Exploring stakeholder emotional intelligence

This research proposes a conceptual framework for understanding the causal factors influencing conflicts that evolve in highly regulated industries. The stakeholder emotional intelligence framework assesses two critical factors – emotional intensity and stakeholder power – that influence how an issue gets defined in the general public and ultimately resolved with policymakers over the lifecycle of the issue.

The framework presented outlines a methodology for assessing conflicts in the alcohol, tobacco, firearms and gambling industries, identifying factors influencing policy outcomes. An important objective of the framework was increasing the understanding of how the key stakeholders in each industry engaged in discourse, particularly when emotional intensity in the industry was high.

The framework indicated that emotional intensity and stakeholder power did impact the level of authentic discourse surrounding policy conflicts in each of the highly regulated industries studied.

The next steps for the framework would be to apply the factors to other issues in highly regulated industries to see if there are similar findings.

When an issue reaches a balance in stakeholder power, where neither party dominates and there is an attempt to reduce the emotional intensity through authentic discourse between stakeholders, there is the potential for long‐term policy solutions.

The value of this research is the confirmation that an industry environment where engagement is transparent and inclusive will tend to advance mutual goals among stakeholders and policymakers.