3.3.4 Discussion

Adding to the empirical studies of Campi et al. and Adam, stakeholder participation in Koispe organisations may be translated into Type A members’ formal and direct voting power. The voting power is particularly evidenced in the examined case for the decisions made in the general meeting and in the management board to some extent. However, despite the enabling multi-stakeholder character of the Koispe legal form, the formal participation of Type A members was restrained in the higher positions of the management and supervisory board. The legal provisions in the Mental Health Service Law of 1999, which excluded Type A members from the higher managerial positions impeded Type A members to participate equally in the participatory governance structure of KAE.

The participation of Type A members in KAE also materialised in an informal way by means of informal participation mechanisms, which were semi-structured in regular organisational processes. KAE’s informal stakeholder mechanisms encouraged the participation of Type A members in the governance and decision-making of the organisation.

In these stakeholder participation mechanisms, the emotional engagement of Type A members was an important determinant of their attitude towards participation in the decision-making processes. The emotional engagement of Type A members was mitigated through the development of KAE’s counselling committee.

However, the formal and/or informal participation of Type A members with the members of other categories in the governance of the Koispe organisation could contribute to their empowerment and determination in order to be more engaged in the entrepreneurial or labour activities carried out by the organisation. It could also provide them with concrete roles and responsibilities regarding core managerial issues on the basis of clear rules, and a fairer position in the organisation and consequently in society.