Unveiling Broader Societal Networks for Megaprojects through Mass-Media Evidence

Megaprojects are deeply embedded within broader societal environments. However, existing data collection methods and quantitative approaches are inadequate for systematically identifying the broader stakeholders and mapping their relationships, limiting our understanding of megaprojects’ societal networks. Thus, we propose the following research question: How can the broader stakeholder networks of megaprojects be systematically constructed and analyzed? We develop a framework that integrates large language models and other natural language processing techniques to extract stakeholder networks from mass media. We validate the effectiveness of the framework through the Gwadar Port Project. Further, we systematically identify high-status stakeholders, distinguish between direct and indirect actors, and analyze the complex interactions between the megaproject and these stakeholders, revealing the significant influence of indirect stakeholders within the broader societal network. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the societal networks surrounding megaprojects and offers a practical tool for project managers to systematically identify influential stakeholders beyond direct stakeholders.