Organizations, Stakeholders, and Intermediaries: Towards a General Theory

The aim of this conceptual article is to contribute to the development of a general theory of intermediaries (e.g., trade associations, trade unions, advocacy groups, government agencies, consulting firms, and the media). The primary function or mission of intermediaries is to mediate the relationship between an organization and its stakeholders; that is, to represent either the organization and/or the stakeholders, and/or to intervene in their relationship by furthering or impeding their interests and activities. We are in particular interested in how the specific status and function of intermediaries affect how they communicate. After a brief review of the research on stakeholders in general, and organization-stakeholder relationships and organization-public relationships in particular, a definition of intermediaries and a set of taxonomic criteria for the classification of intermediaries are presented. These first steps towards a theory of intermediaries are illustrated with a case study.