So who are the different stakeholders of an organization? Many definitions are used among academics, but in general stakeholders are groups that could influence or have influence over an organization in some way.

The variations in stakeholder groups among different kinds of organizations are listed below:

There are many stakeholders of a for-profit business. Stakeholders include shareholders, lenders, employees, suppliers, customers and any partners. In addition, for-profit businesses impact their communities and surroundings. This means that stakeholders also include local communities, the environment and governments which have authority over the for-profit organization.

Lower government entities are commissioned and funded by higher powers such as state governments or national governments. Their stakeholders include the people they service (their version of customers), the employees of the government organization, the higher government authority and the tax payers. Their stakeholders also include the communities they work in, their suppliers and the environment.

The stakeholders of a non-governmental organization are very similar. NGO stakeholders include the people they service (their version of customers), their donors, founders and employees. Like other organizations, their stakeholders include their suppliers, the communities they work in, governments that have authority over them and the environment.