ABSTRACT
The difficulty of strategy and planning is in uncovering and aligning the hidden objectives of each stakeholder. The three principal stakeholder groups in sustainability (shareholders; environmentalists; economic community) present the same conundrum because economic, social, and environmental objectives — even when transparent — are often at odds with each other on multiple dimensions. We also suffer from unrealistic assumptions about the worlds of all three stakeholders. Even though we know better, it is easier to assume an inherent knowable order in all human interactions, to assume that rational choice guides all decisions, and that capabilities will be put to intended uses (Kurtz and Snowden, 2003).
