Paths for improving non-profit impact on society: lessons from government–non-profit relationships in Brazil (original) (raw)
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Despite the fact that nonprofit organizations play a large role in the production and distribution of goods and services in modern economies, and the rising role of non-governmental organizations in carrying out projects in developing countries, our knowledge of their governance, and of its' implications for their behaviour and performance, is limited. This special issue tries to uncover some of the mechanisms and institutions that characterize the governance of non-profits and NGOs, as well as its implications. In particular, the papers focus on: (i) the determinants of NGO governance and its implications for reducing poverty in developing countries, (ii) the governance of non-profit organizations, (iii) the impact of governance characteristics on the performance of non-profit organizations, and (iv) the effect of non-profit governance on the interaction between the non-profit and for-profit sectors.
Managing non-profit organisations
This paper puts forth the thesis that the management of non-profit organisations is often ill understood because we proceed from the wrong assumptions about how these organisations operate.
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS: A PATH FOR SOCIAL ECONOMY
In book: Making the Planet More Habitable: Business Perspectives for Social Economy, 2023
The structural basis of the social economy is non-profit organizations. Therefore, understanding the structure and management principles of non-profits is essential to create a global economy based on solidarity. However, despite the critical importance and role of non-profit organizations, studies on non-profit organizations are not holistic from a managerial perspective. For this reason, a holistic approach that covers all economic, political, and social components is needed when analyzing the social economy and NPOs Toward this aim, in this section, nonprofits are examined based on their organizational structure and management principles. This examination will compare for-profit and non-profits organizations' mission, organizational structure, performance criteria, etc. The lack of profit in non-profit organization's (NPO) mission stands out as the most crucial difference that shapes their management characteristics and organizational structure.
2006
This CPB Document provides a framework for the evaluation of non-profit organisations. This framework addresses the question under which conditions, and, if so, in what way non-profits should be stimulated. Essentially, in order to answer these questions, three steps can be followed: (i) identifying potentially relevant market failures that non-profits may aim to diminish; (ii) linking market failures to observed
Drivers of non-profit activity: a cross-country analysis
Small Business Economics, 2010
This paper contributes to the existing debate on the determinants of non-profit activity. The main theories have been centered in (1) the study of the individual behavior of people (donors, non-profit entrepreneurs), (2) one single factor or (3) one single country. To quantify this approach, data for 38 countries have been used, extracted from World Values Survey, United Nations Development Program and Global Entrepreneurship Monitor. A structural modeling approach based in partial least squares (PLS) has been applied. The results provide evidence of the strength of environmental factors such as trust, economic development and social care public expenditures in non-profit activity. The model doesn't confirm the existence of a positive relationship between entrepreneurship and non-profit activity. Nevertheless, the authors consider that the supply side theories and the idea of spatial production of entrepreneurship are quite consistent and find some signs evidencing a positive relationship between these variables. Keywords Non-profit Á Non-profit entrepreneurship Á Trust Á Income Á Growth (economic development) Á Public expenditures JEL Classifications L31 Á L26 Á O15 Á H51 Á H52 Maria-Soledad Castaño and Inmaculada Carrasco are Members of Castilla-La Mancha GEM Team.
Non-Government Organization: Catalyst of Change
The rise of the non-governmental, non-profit associations of civil society as increasingly important actors has been described by a number of observers (Schneider, 1988; Salamon, 1993 cited by Brown and Kalegaonkar, 1999). It couldn’t be denied that there is an increasing interest in the growing visibility of non-government organization. NGOs appear to play a particularly important role in social, political and economic development activities (Edwards and Hulme, 1996; Riddell and Robinson, 1995; Brown and Korten, 1991; Clark, 1990 cited by Brown and Kalegaonkar, 1999). NGOs are defined by the World Bank as "private organizations that pursue activities to relieve suffering, promote the interests of the poor, protect the environment, provide basic social services, or undertake community development. On the other hand, Asian Development Bank study on 1999 defined NGO as intermediate agencies or institutions that tend to operate with a full-time staff complement and provide a wide range of services and programs. There are numerous possibilities to classify NGOs. The categorization of NGOs used by the World Bank are operational and advocacy. Operational NGOs primary purpose is the design and implementation of development-related projects. One categorization that is frequently used is the division into relief-oriented or development-oriented organizations; they can also be classified according to whether they stress service delivery or participation; or whether they are religious and secular; and whether they are more public or private-oriented. Operational NGOs can be community-based, national or international. Advocacy NGOs on the other hand primary purpose is to defend or promote a specific cause. As opposed to operational project management, these organizations typically try to raise awareness, acceptance, and knowledge by lobbying, press work and activist events. The purpose of this paper is to present the general profile of local NGOs. The next section provides a brief overview of the history of NGO from the International scene and how it emerged as an organization in the Philippines. This paper also endeavors to identify the commonalities and distinctiveness of this organization in terms of its nature and to what extent is the magnitude of their influence. The third section introduces the structure, systems and processes, tools and mechanism as it incorporates the application of the different management dimensions. The fourth section highlights strengths and weaknesses that appear inherent to this organization. And lastly, to give conclusion on how local NGOs as a development organization respond to the global changes.
In search of the non-profit sector. I: The question of definitions
Voluntas, 1992
In this paper we argue that the lack of attention to the third sector historically is primarily a result of the weakness and limitations of the concepts that are used to define and describe it. The purpose of this article is to remedy this situation by developing a general definition of the sector that can be used in comparative research. To do so, the article first identifies four alternative types of definitions that are potentially available and evaluates each in terms of three basic criteria. On this basis it concludes that the most useful definition is the 'structural/operational' one, which includes in the non-profit sector organisations that share five basic characteristics. These are: formal, private, non-profit-distributing, self-governing and voluntary. The basic definition is then tested against the realities of three disparate countries and found to perform quite well. On this basis we recommend the structural/operational definition, particularly for comparative, crossnational research. A book is made up of signs that speak of other signs, which in their turn speak of things. Without an eye to read them, a book contains signs that produce no concepts; therefore it is dumb.
Conceptualizing Non-Governmental Organizations: Still Searching For a Theory
2009
This is a qualitative study which examines the concept of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) with a theoretical perspective. The study was designed to assess the current NGO literature and to review some of the conceptualizations of NGOs namely Private Voluntary Organization (PVO), Non-Profit Organization (NPO) and the third sector. The findings of the study revealed that first, in spite of the increasing importance of NGOs as partners in the development of both northern and southern countries, there is still a lack of theoretical knowledge and understanding about the diversity of the NGO sector. This is because academic research has not sufficiently followed and systematically analyzed the rapid growth and heterogeneity of the NGO sector. Second, the current literature is full of questionable beliefs and doubtful generalizations about NGOs as if all NGOs were the same. Third, NGOs have not yet been studied comprehensively and systematically in a manner that differentiates their various types, functions, networks, rationalities and the complex interactions within themselves and with other actors working in the same field. Finally, the theoretical conceptions that are used to conceptualize NGOs are often based on assumptions about the differences between the public and private sector, rather than what the NGOs are. Therefore, the conclusion of this study was that the study provides the basis for a better conceptualization of NGOs in future studies.
1998
The first CVO International Working Paper makes a set of general observations about international third sector research and argues that there are currently two 'parallel universes' of literature. The first of these is work which focuses on the 'North' (on what are often termed 'non-profit' or 'voluntary' organisations) and the second is work which examines these organisations and their activities in the 'South' (where they are generally termed 'non-governmental organisations'). These two research literatures are largely separate and barely acknowledge one another. This is surprising because, despite important differences between so-called 'developed' and 'developing' country contexts, there are many common overlapping themes and concerns. The separateness creates two main problems. The first is that opportunities for learning and exchange between researchers may be restricted, particularly around organisational issues (such as governance and accountability) and approaches to poverty reduction (such as credit). The second problem is the relevance of third sector research, which needs to respond to the growing interconnectedness of problems in North and South through processes of globalisation and the growing deployment of concepts such as 'social capital', 'civil society' and 'social exclusion' which may transcend a simple North/South dichotomy. In conclusion, brief case studies are presented which illustrate that (i) ideas from the third sector in the South are now influencing organisations in the North; (ii) third sector organisations are exchanging ideas between North and South; (iii) third sector organisations are promoting solidarity links between communities in North and South and (iv) organisations and individuals in North and South are working jointly to develop new approaches to development work. Bridging the gap between the two literatures would reflect these recent developments within the contemporary global third sector.