The application of stakeholder theory to UK PPP stakeholders

This research paper determines the key stakeholders in Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) infrastructure projects. Transcending international boarders, and now established in over 40 countries, PPP is a provision model capable of delivering more and better infrastructure. Nevertheless, despite its international popularity, it continues to be associated with various problems. Characterised as a long-term collaborative arrangement between the public and private sectors, there is consensus amongst academics and practitioners that these partnerships are a primary source of poor project performance. Literature shows that successful partnerships develop and nurture collaborative stakeholder alliances, yet there is a basic lack of knowledge and understanding of the key PPP stakeholders. Equally, there is an absence of defined systems, mechanisms and processes to identify and understand these stakeholders. This research fills this knowledge gap. Undertaking an extensive investigation of peer reviewed journals, databases, books and Infrastructure Journal (IJ), this paper determines and profiles the key stakeholders in PPP infrastructure projects. The findings of this investigated ascertain the key stakeholders as the private sector SPV, and its constituent members; financiers, construction contractors, and facilities management contractors, and the Local Authority within the public sector Client. In doing so, this paper advances the knowledge of PPP stakeholders providing critical information, to date unavailable. Internationally this paper will have an impact. As financially constrained governments continue to turn to the private sector to provide much needed infrastructure, this research comes in a timely manner, providing critical findings of stakeholders, engendering the fundamental understanding necessary for improved partnering and enhanced project performance.