Amazon’s External Stakeholders

Grass-roots Activist Groups

Activist groups in the grassroots level are important external stakeholders because they may choose to endorse or reject policies relating to a company. Amazon’s expansion to a new location may face a lot of hostility from such activist groups. For example, a coalition of grass-roots group, referred to as Athena, recently opposed the expansion of Amazon (Streitfield, 2019). The goal of this stakeholder group is to unify and encourage others to join the resistance in regard to Amazon’s growth. The group cites issues relating to poor employee working conditions, antitrust, and digital surveillance as issues within Amazon, and a policy that does not favor negotiations for better conditions for workers or the community. poor working conditions have also been mentioned by Grush (2020) as a cause for protests from an international coalition of activists under the campaign “Make Amazon Pay”. The activist groups would oppose Amazon’s expansion and establishment of new operations in their location because of these issues.

Local Communities

Local communities would welcome the idea of a new Amazon facility because it would mean opening up the local economy and helping it thrive. The local community would support the establishment of a new facility because it would mean more jobs, both directly and indirectly through other support requirements. Amazon invests a lot of money in ensuring that a facility runs smoothly. Fulfillment centers require local skills and experience in building, maintaining the facilities, building the infrastructure, and local employment once the facility is up and running (Amazon, 2018). Therefore, the benefits associated with an improved economy are an avenue for the local community to support expansion of Amazon.

Local Governments

Like the local communities, local governments and authorities would support the expansion of Amazon into new locations. According to McGahey (2020), local governments from all over the country are keen on enticing companies such as Amazon to establish new facilities in their regions through large tax subsidies. Local governments support the idea of a company like Amazon expanding into new locations because of its impact on reducing the unemployment rate, supporting local economies, and the taxes collected in revenue for local governments. Additionally, local governments would welcome Amazon because other large corporations would follow suit where business policies are favorable. The corporate social responsibility that companies such as Amazon provide also help local governments to achieve certain goals to the citizenry.

ReferencesAmazon, (December 18, 2018). The Amazon effect: What a fulfillment center means to its

community. Amazon. Available at https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/job-creation-and-investment/the-amazon-effect-what-a-fulfillment-center-means-to-its-community

Grush, L., (Nov. 27, 2020). International coalition of activists launches protest against Amazon.

The Verge. Available at https://www.theverge.com/2020/11/27/21722421/make-amazon-pay-protest-campaign-black-fridayMcGahey, R., (December 17, 2020). Amazon Gets Billions While State and Local Government

Budgets Collapse. Forbes. Available at https://www.forbes.com/sites/richardmcgahey/2020/12/17/amazon-gets-billions-while-state-and-local-government-budgets-collapse/?sh=4638b6c842db

Streitfield, D., (Nov. 26, 2019). Activists Build a Grass-Roots Alliance Against Amazon. The

New York Times. Available at https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/26/technology/amazon-grass-roots-activists.html

Amazon’s External Stakeholders

Grass-roots Activist Groups

Activist groups in the grassroots level are important external stakeholders because they may choose to endorse or reject policies relating to a company. Amazon’s expansion to a new location may face a lot of hostility from such activist groups. For example, a coalition of grass-roots group, referred to as Athena, recently opposed the expansion of Amazon (Streitfield, 2019). The goal of this stakeholder group is to unify and encourage others to join the resistance in regard to Amazon’s growth. The group cites issues relating to poor employee working conditions, antitrust, and digital surveillance as issues within Amazon, and a policy that does not favor negotiations for better conditions for workers or the community. poor working conditions have also been mentioned by Grush (2020) as a cause for protests from an international coalition of activists under the campaign “Make Amazon Pay”. The activist groups would oppose Amazon’s expansion and establishment of new operations in their location because of these issues.

Local Communities

Local communities would welcome the idea of a new Amazon facility because it would mean opening up the local economy and helping it thrive. The local community would support the establishment of a new facility because it would mean more jobs, both directly and indirectly through other support requirements. Amazon invests a lot of money in ensuring that a facility runs smoothly. Fulfillment centers require local skills and experience in building, maintaining the facilities, building the infrastructure, and local employment once the facility is up and running (Amazon, 2018). Therefore, the benefits associated with an improved economy are an avenue for the local community to support expansion of Amazon.

Local Governments

Like the local communities, local governments and authorities would support the expansion of Amazon into new locations. According to McGahey (2020), local governments from all over the country are keen on enticing companies such as Amazon to establish new facilities in their regions through large tax subsidies. Local governments support the idea of a company like Amazon expanding into new locations because of its impact on reducing the unemployment rate, supporting local economies, and the taxes collected in revenue for local governments. Additionally, local governments would welcome Amazon because other large corporations would follow suit where business policies are favorable. The corporate social responsibility that companies such as Amazon provide also help local governments to achieve certain goals to the citizenry.

ReferencesAmazon, (December 18, 2018). The Amazon effect: What a fulfillment center means to its

community. Amazon. Available at https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/job-creation-and-investment/the-amazon-effect-what-a-fulfillment-center-means-to-its-community

Grush, L., (Nov. 27, 2020). International coalition of activists launches protest against Amazon.

The Verge. Available at https://www.theverge.com/2020/11/27/21722421/make-amazon-pay-protest-campaign-black-fridayMcGahey, R., (December 17, 2020). Amazon Gets Billions While State and Local Government

Budgets Collapse. Forbes. Available at https://www.forbes.com/sites/richardmcgahey/2020/12/17/amazon-gets-billions-while-state-and-local-government-budgets-collapse/?sh=4638b6c842db

Streitfield, D., (Nov. 26, 2019). Activists Build a Grass-Roots Alliance Against Amazon. The

New York Times. Available at https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/26/technology/amazon-grass-roots-activists.html