Core Stakeholder Triangle and Customer Paradox: A Single-Company Stakeholder Analysis of Omni-Channel Retailing in the German Electronics Sector
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15611/pn.2026.2.09Keywords:
omni-channel retailing, stakeholder theory, retail ecosystems, customer paradoxAbstract
Aim: This exploratory single-company case study examined how omni-channel transformation reshapes stakeholder relationships, power structures, and influences patterns at MediaMarktSaturn in the German consumer electronics retail sector.
Methodology: A convergent parallel mixed-methods design was applied, drawing on n = 36 MediaMarktSaturn experts and Reed et al.'s (2009) three-phase stakeholder typology, complemented by an interest-influence matrix, rainbow diagram, and the original LoI Index.
Results: The author identified a resilient core stakeholder triangle (retailers, logistics providers, manufacturers) and a customer paradox (high strategic importance but limited direct influence).
Implications and recommendations: Retailers should prioritise relationships within the core triangle and implement structured customer feedback mechanisms. Future research should examine longitudinal effects, particularly following the 2025 JD.com acquisition.
Originality/value: This article provides the first systematic stakeholder analysis in omni-channel retail, introducing the Real Utility Analysis and LoI Index as novel methodological tools.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Rafael Heinrich Czekalla
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Accepted 2026-06-05
Published 2026-07-29
