Stakeholder Showdown Activity

GCSE Business Stakeholders Classroom Activity – Stakeholder Showdown

Bring stakeholder theory to life with this engaging, ready-to-use GCSE Business classroom activity.

Students take on the roles of different stakeholder groups and debate whether the fictional Riverside Festival should expand from 5,000 to 12,000 visitors, add a second stage and extend its opening hours.

The activity requires students to consider the objectives, interests, power and influence of different stakeholders, before presenting arguments, completing a stakeholder influence matrix and making a justified final business decision.

Included in the 6-page PDF:

• Festival expansion scenario and decision task
• 8 stakeholder role cards
• Stakeholder influence matrix
• Argument-planning activity
• New information challenge
• Final decision task
• Teacher guidance with suggested timings and discussion points

The stakeholder groups include festival organisers, local residents, local businesses, employees, customers, the local council, an environmental pressure group and emergency services.

Students must listen to competing viewpoints, assess which stakeholders have the greatest influence and then respond to new information before deciding whether the festival should:

• Expand as planned
• Expand with conditions
• Not expand at the moment

The activity is designed for approximately 45–55 minutes and works well for group work, discussion, debate, revision or as an applied lesson on stakeholder conflict and business decision-making. Teacher notes are included to support delivery.

Suitable for GCSE Business across the major UK exam boards.

Key skills developed
Stakeholder objectives • Stakeholder conflict • Power and influence • Business decision-making • Application • Justification