The multistakeholder governance model, sometimes known as a multistakeholder initiative (MSI),[1][2] is a governance structure that seeks to bring stakeholders together to participate in the dialogue, decision making, and implementation of solutions to common problems or goals. The principle behind such a structure is that if enough input is provided by all actors involved in a question, the eventual consensual decision gains more legitimacy, and therefore better reflects a set of perspectives rather than a single source of validation.
A stakeholder refers to an individual, group, or organization that has a direct or indirect interest or stake in a particular organization, these may be businesses, civil society, governments, research institutions, and non-government organizations.
Multi-Stakeholder Models[edit]The multistakeholder model is used in Internet governance by entities such as the ICANN and IETF[3] and has been the foundation of local governance entities such as New York City's Community Boards.
Norbert Bollow, co-coordinator on the Civil Society Internet Governance Forum distinguishes between "representative" multistakeholderism, using as examples the United Nation's MAG and ECWG, in which a limited number of seats are distributed to representatives through some selection process, and "open" multistakeholderism, as represented by the IETF and RIRs, which relies on participants self-selecting to balance perspectives.
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