Identification, Analysis, and Prioritization of Stakeholders in the Iranian Banking System Using Content Analysis and a Combined Best-Worst and Fuzzy ARAS Method

The Iranian banking system is engaged in a complex network of relationships with various stakeholders, who either influence or are influenced by the system. Each stakeholder group has its own set of desires and expectations, pursued based on their capabilities, sometimes in conflict with the interests of other stakeholders. It is evident that satisfying all these stakeholder demands is not feasible for the banking system; thus, the identification and prioritization of these stakeholders is of paramount importance.In this study, stakeholders were identified through content analysis of sustainability reports from both conventional and Islamic banks, supplemented by interviews. The significance of each identified criterion was then examined and ranked using a combination of the Best-Worst and Fuzzy ARAS methods. This research scrutinized stakeholders at both a broad and detailed level. Ultimately, stakeholders were ranked using the Fuzzy ARAS method, and the identification and ranking criteria were enumerated using content analysis. Among these criteria, power, benefits, urgency, impact intensity, and potential were deemed most important. Among the stakeholders, the government, central bank, and major shareholders were ranked highest, highlighting the significant role of governance in the banking system. In contrast, retail customers and depositors, despite their special status in Islamic banking, have not received adequate attention.