How to satisfy stakeholders? An attempt to model satisfaction of stakeholders of a historic urban conservation area: a case study

Purpose - The historic built environment is emphasised more when planning an urban heritage conservation project. The success of many projects is determined by various factors, one of which is managing the project's multiple stakeholders. Since each stakeholder perceives the success of a project differently, it is ideal to understand how a stakeholder and their influencing factors can be considered when planning for urban heritage conservation. This paper presents an attempt to apply quantitative data analysis to capture stakeholder satisfaction in an urban heritage conservation project. Design/methodology/approach - This paper follows a mixed method approach adopting a qualitative method of data collection followed by quantitative data analysis. As satisfaction is a complex entity associated with subjective perceptions and opinions, it is difficult to measure them numerically. Statistical methods such as regression analysis can help in quantifying the relationship between the determinants of stakeholder satisfaction and the satisfaction level experienced by them. Identifying the attributes that drive satisfaction can help in achieving long-term sustainability in projects. Apart from the identification of positively influencing factors, the quantification process also brings out the relative importance of each determinant in determining the satisfaction level. Ordinal logistic regression is used to identify the factors influencing stakeholder satisfaction among different groups of ground-level stakeholders. A door-to-door survey questionnaire method was adopted to record the qualitative value that different stakeholder groups gave to different factors. The stakeholder satisfaction using regression analysis was done through the help of the 311 questionnaires that were returned, which helped develop the regression model. Findings - Four stakeholder groups were considered in the study-resident group, non-resident group, business and non-business group. The data suggested considerable differences in stakeholder satisfaction amongst the various stakeholder groups which was further supported by the stakeholders' perceptions. The residential group placed the greatest emphasis on preserving the neighbourhood's unique identity and its ability to support its economy. The non-resident group emphasised the need to take advantage of the possibilities for adaptive reuse of historic buildings and other spaces to guarantee environmental continuity. However, they were apprehensive about being involved in the project conservation process. The business group was more concerned with their demands for functionally altering the built form to accommodate their needs. The non-business group also emphasised the need to preserve the uniqueness of the historic urban area. Originality/value - This study tried to quantitatively address the point that various stakeholders are involved in an urban heritage conservation project and there is a need to quantitatively identify these factors to better aid in planning for such conservation areas.