Stakeholder agency and grand challenge projects in forced displacement context

Abstract

Grand challenge projects (GCPs) address critical global issues such as poverty, climate change, COVID-19, and forced displacement. However, research reveals that many GCPs often yield limited results when managed through a top-down approach. In this research, we investigate how the agency of external nonmarket stakeholders (i.e., the project beneficiaries), can be useful in aligning GCPs to local needs for successful outcomes. Using participatory action research and interpretive structural modelling, we identify the key agency factors influencing the iterative, the practical–evaluative, and the projective dimensions of beneficiaries’ agency in forced displacement grand challenge context. We show how beneficiaries’ agency influences project legitimacy and urgency. Our findings also demonstrate that active beneficiaries’ involvement can significantly improve project outcomes, emphasising the need for GCPs to meaningfully incorporate beneficiaries’ perspectives to enhance impact and sustainability. Finally, our research provides practical insights for project managers and policymakers on engaging stakeholders in complex, high-stakes contexts.