Let's look at some common stakeholders in a typical business. Remember, the key requirement is that a stakeholder is either affected or affects the business. Consequently, the definition of stakeholder is very broad. 1  Shareholders & owners are probably the most obvious stakeholders.2  Shareholders and owners contribute capital, and sometimes labor, to the business. stakeholder of a business is any person or organization that is affected by the business or affects the business. A stake is a vital interest held by someone either inside or outside the business and can include ownership interests, legal obligations and moral rights. The concept of a stakeholder is very broad.