Non-governmental organizations: strategic management for a competitive world

2014 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 11-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Schwenger ◽  
Thomas Straub ◽  
Stefano Borzillo
Keyword(s):  
Strategic Management ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Civil Liberty ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Governmental Organization ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Executive Managers

Purpose – This paper aims to empirically investigate competition within the non-governmental organization (NGO) sector, and presents some strategic approaches to managing it. Porter’s five forces (1980) model was used as a theoretical framework to understand and quantify competition in the NGO sector, as well as to explore the differences between NGOs’ budget sizes. Traditional strategic management often fails to meet NGOs’ needs. While economization is prevalent within the NGO sector, little is known about how NGOs address competition. Design/methodology/approach – An online global survey was conducted between November 2010 and May 2011. Data were collected from 1,211 NGOs that either function as consultants or work in association with the United Nations (UN). The key informants were leaders and executive managers of NGOs. The respondents’ fields of work varied from international advocacy and development (38 per cent), education and research (14 per cent), community and neighborhood (8 per cent), health (8 per cent), environment (8 per cent) and social services (7 per cent) to civil liberty (6 per cent), labor (6 per cent), culture (3 per cent), philanthropy (2 per cent) and religion (1 per cent). Findings – The findings suggest that the NGO sector is becoming increasingly competitive. However, the data suggest that the lower and upper budget classes have different priorities and perceptions. Small NGOs (with budgets <USD250,000 and especially <USD10,000) compete more aggressively for funding, as they have less bargaining power over donors and large foundations, and face stronger competition from social entrepreneurship. This results in income reductions. Large NGOs (with budgets >USD250,000 USD and especially >USD1 million) experience increased pressure for accountability. Research limitations/implications – This research is aimed at a wide range of NGOs. The findings are based on an empirical and open survey that was held among NGOs in association with the UN. Future research should survey NGOs that are not associated with the UN to generalize the results. This may lead to contradictory or more varied results. Practical implications – The findings can help NGOs adapt their strategy to cope more effectively with increasing competition in the sector. Large NGOs seem to prioritize fundraising measures and their positioning (uniqueness) through specialized knowledge. Small NGOs, on the other hand, seem to consider sharing resources, co-operation with other NGOs and co-operation with the private sector slightly more important. To enhance their competitive position, small NGOs are advised to improve their potential by concentrating on developing specific skills that are hard to imitate and to improve their fundraising measures. Finally, large NGOs could benefit from pooling their resources and collaborating with other NGOs and private organizations. Originality/value – NGOs have to pursue their missions under increasing competitive pressure. This paper comprehensively assesses competition, analyzes the various facets thereof and tests these aspects’ relevance to NGOs. It furthermore proposes strategies that are more appropriate for NGOs of different sizes to cope with this competition.

Participation of Iranian non-governmental organizations in health policy-making; barriers and strategies for development

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 46-56
Author(s):  
Rahim Khodayari-Zarnaq ◽  
Edris Kakemam ◽  
Morteza Arab-Zozani ◽  
Jamal Rasouli ◽  
Mobin Sokhanvar
Keyword(s):  
Health Policy ◽  
Policy Making ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Healthcare Sector ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Governmental Organization ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
Health Related ◽  
The Government

PurposeThe effectiveness of non-governmental organization (NGO) participation in the healthcare sector has been demonstrated globally. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the status of Iranian NGOs’ contribution to health policy-making, the barriers to and strategies for developing their contribution.Design/methodology/approachIn this qualitative study, 25 participants were recruited from health-related NGOs in Tabriz, Iran. Semi-structured, in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted. Furthermore, a set of relevant documents were collected and their contents evaluated. The text of documents and interviews were analyzed using a thematic (deductive–inductive) approach using NVivo software.FindingsMost NGO activity has been in the area of providing services, whereas the least amount of activity has been in the domain of policy-making. Factors that were influential for NGO participation in policy-making were divided into three categories: those related to government, to civil society and within NGOs themselves. The primary barriers to participation in policy-making were related to government and the way that NGOs operated. Recommendations include the production of supportive law, financial aid to NGO and infrastructure that facilitates NGO participation.Practical implicationsFinancial support from the government and legislation of supportive laws could help to realize the potential of NGOs.Originality/valueNo such research has been undertaken before to evaluate what activities health-related NGOs undertake, their contribution in health policy-making and obstacles and facilitators of this contribution. NGOs can play a key role in ensuring accountability, transparency and empower citizens to demand basic health services from government.

The role of women's leadership in environmental NGOs' online accountability

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Saraite-Sariene ◽  
Federico Galán-Valdivieso ◽  
Juana Alonso-Cañadas ◽  
Manuela García-Tabuyo
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Female Leadership ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Governmental Organization ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Online Engagement ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Environmental Ngo

PurposeThe role of female managers has been of increasing interest among scholars in recent years, especially regarding sustainability issues. The same could be said about the usefulness of social media in non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in demonstrating accountability to their stakeholders and attracting and keeping donors and volunteers. This paper aims to meet both research interests by analyzing to what extent women in top positions can foster stakeholders' engagement via social media.Design/methodology/approachOnline engagement can be proxied using data from social media to develop a measure that summarizes the main actions social media users are able to use in order to show their reactions to social media publications. Facebook data were obtained using proprietary software (Facebook data model) developed by the research team to carry out data massive extraction, processing and exploration.FindingsThe results of the multivariate analysis show that female leadership in both top and environmental-specific positions enhance social media engagement, while a higher percentage of women on the board of directors exert the opposite effect.Research limitations/implicationsThis study is not without limitations. First, this research is focused on a specific type of non-governmental organization (environmental NGO). Second, this study does not include economic variables such as donation income or expense structure. Third, data come only from Facebook as the leading social network.Originality/valueThis paper advances in the scarce knowledge about the role of women and the levels of online engagement (interactive conversations) in NGOs focused on sustainability.

scholarly journals Digitalization as an Optimization of Interaction Between Public Authorities and Non-Governmental Organizations

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1 SI) ◽  
pp. 130-132
Author(s):  
Marian Tokar
Keyword(s):  
Social Services ◽  
Service Provider ◽  
Information Society ◽  
Public Authorities ◽  
Governmental Organization ◽  
Public Practice ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations

The study focuses on digitalization as a public-administrative innovation, which is introduced into public practice by the mechanisms of the information society and can be involved in public-state processes. The opinion is substantiated that it is a providing component of the whole complex of public-administrative relations. A non-governmental organization can successfully adopt the procedure of the latest technologies and present itself as a service provider of social services, try on the role of mediator/executor of orders of both citizens and public authorities.

scholarly journals Project management office in non-governmental organizations: an ex post facto study

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 212-227 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adonai Lacruz ◽  
Everton Cunha
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Mean Value ◽  
Project Management Office ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
Ex Post ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Ex Post Facto ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the influence of project management offices (PMO) in non-governmental organizations (NGOs), in fundraising linked to projects, under the theoretical lens of the resource-based view. Design/methodology/approach Through a longitudinal analysis ex post facto study in a non-profit civil association, the authors examined by Mann-Whitney’s U tests the results before (2003-2008) and after (2009-2014) PMO implementation, to check if the office moderated the relationship between project management and fundraising for projects. Findings Mann-Whitney’s U tests showed that PMO had, in those periods, a statistically significant influence in increasing the number of projects and decreasing the mean value of their budgets (p-value<0.05). Originality/value Despite the wide range of studies on the contribution of PMOs to internal project management, there is a lack of empirical evidence on their moderation capacity, especially in NGOs. To fill this research gap, this study investigates the moderating role of PMO in NGOs, by examining their performance on fundraising processes, to contribute to a better understanding of potential PMO effects, particularly as a moderator of the relationship between project management and projects’ fundraising.

Benchmarking of TQM practices in INGOs: a literature review

2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 236-261 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rateb J Sweis ◽  
Firas Izzat Mahmoud Saleh ◽  
Samer Eid Dahiyat ◽  
Nadia J Sweis ◽  
Rawan Ali Saleh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Performance Improvement ◽  
Process Management ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Total Quality ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
For Profit ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
Management Commitment

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to aggregate significant part of debates in the field of International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs) toward performance improvement by benchmarking of the Total Quality Management (TQM) practices, and to propose TQM-Benchmarking model as a seed for future research in the context of INGOs. Design/methodology/approach – TQM practices for INGOs were first identified based on critical synthesis of the literature for both, existing for-profit TQM literature and the INGOs field-specific quality and accountability frameworks, initiatives, and practices (Jordan introduced as an example) followed by solicitation of the opinions of experts and colleagues through personal interviews and focus group discussions to define the proposed TQM-Benchmarking model. Findings – TQM-Benchmarking model of six practices vital to INGOs performance are proposed by this review including leadership and management commitment, beneficiaries focus and participation, partnership management for sustainability, human resource (HR) focus, process management and learning and continuous improvement, and use of quality information. Originality/value – While TQM practices succeed in improving performance of for-profit organizations, this review proposed TQM-Benchmarking model with field-specific practical pillars of performance improvement in the INGOs.

scholarly journals Social entrepreneurship and social change: a practice-based study in non-governmental organizations

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Fernanda Rios Cavalcanti
Keyword(s):  
Social Change ◽  
Social Entrepreneurship ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social Mission ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
The Social ◽  
Original Definition ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to examine how social entrepreneurship (SE) practices give rise to social change in the context of urban Brazil. Design/methodology/approach The study draws on a broader inductive, ethnographic and iterative practice-based study conducted in three Brazilian non-governmental organizations. Findings Social change is established through intertwined practices that involve active interplay of ambivalent positive and negative feelings associated with the social mission pursued by the social enterprise; flat organizational structures that encourage participation and taking of ownership among all stakeholders; and focused organizational objectives (social purposes). Research limitations/implications The paper presents an analytical framework composed of five propositions that may be used in future research aimed at maturing and refining the understanding of SE. The study also provides a methodological contribution for future studies of new phenomenon and young fields of research that often must rely on inductive methodologies, by demonstrating how an iterative thematic analysis can be used in practice-based studies. Practical implications This paper has practical implications directly connected to its social implications, because understanding how social change is achieved may enhance the effectiveness of SE practitioners in bringing desired changes about. Furthermore, the discussion also provided insights for practitioners to reflect upon the paradoxical nature of practices aimed at social change. Originality/value The study suggests a set of propositions and an original definition of SE that mitigates conceptual inconsistencies found in literature drawing on empirical data and by incorporating the political lens found in practice theory.

scholarly journals Non-Governmental Organizations as a Place for Cultural Rituals: Cyprus Turkish French Cultural Association

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dilan ÇİFTÇİ ◽  
Heran ÇİFTÇİ ◽  
Filiz SOYER
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Memory ◽  
Civil Society Organizations ◽  
Cultural Symbols ◽  
Governmental Organization ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
Analysis Technique ◽  
Northern Cyprus ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Turkish Cypriot

This study reveals the strength non-governmental organizations as a place for recalling cultural memory and cultural rituals. In this study, the theories about the tightness of cultural memory to its cultural environment, and the non-governmental organizations through the cross-border travel and the possibility of blending with the existing cultural symbols are described. The Turkish Cypriot French Cultural Association, which has been active in Northern Cyprus for 34 years, has been presented with a historical view, but the symbolic cultural rituals of the living legacies of French culture have been addressed through civil society organizations. While the subjects of cultural memory and collective memory are often referred to politics, non-governmental organizations with contributions to culture are often ignored. In the light of these conceptual debates a wide range of cultural memory and symbolic cultural rituals have been discussed. As a concrete assessment of all these information and discussions, the Turkish Cypriot French Cultural Association's French symbolic cultural rituals are the main objective of the study. In this context, the analysis of French cultural symbolic rituals in Northern Cyprus has been demonstrated by using visual text analysis technique and content-analysis technique. As the information and documents are obtained, the Turkish Cypriot French Cultural Association as a well-established non-governmental organization in Northern Cyprus has demonstrated its importance as a cultural memory venue.

Shraddhanand Mahila Ashram: a quest for a future filled with dreams

2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Sumi Jha ◽  
Som Sekhar Bhattacharyya
Keyword(s):  
Strategic Management ◽  
Subject Area ◽  
Indian Society ◽  
Cultural Changes ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Vision Statements ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
Physically Challenged ◽  
Policies And Practices

Subject area Mission and vision for strategic management of non governmental organizations. Study level/applicability This case can be used for strategic management course (with a focus on vision and mission), particularly for the management of non governmental organizations (NGOs) (with a focus on discovering and defining directions). Case overview Shraddhanand Mahila Ashram completed 83 years of its existence in 2011. Sharadhanand Mahila Ashram has been managed by the Hindu women's welfare society. The organization for the last eight decades has been caring for destitute women, orphans up to six years old, and caring for girls till they reached 18 years of age. The Ashram has also been taking care of mentally and physically challenged orphans. The Ashram over the years changed its policies and practices to be in tune with the social requirements in the changing environment. Up to the close of the first decade of the 21st century the Ashram had been providing traditional training to the young ladies and then subsequently would marry them. In the last two decades beginning 1991, because of the economic development of India and the economic integration of India with the West, cultural changes had transpired in Indian society. Women in general have been becoming more empowered and economically independent. Given this context the committee members of the Ashram were contemplating on the future guidance to the girls of the Ashram for making them empowered and independent individuals. This would shift the established policies and practices of the Ashram and lead to a new vision. Expected learning outcomes The case would help students to reflect on the significance of mission and vision statement of an NGO. The case would further help students to understand the day to day working practices of an NGO as derived from mission and mission statements. The students will be able to comprehend the need for review and change in mission and vision statements. The students will also be able to understand how mission and vision statements aligned to the organizational practices and policies impact at ground zero and above. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available.

INTERNATIONAL NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS: CONCEPT, TYPES AND ROLE IN MODERN WORLD

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 154-164
Author(s):  
A. N. Gutorova
Keyword(s):  
Internal State ◽  
Modern Science ◽  
Humanitarian Assistance ◽  
Modern World ◽  
Expert Assessment ◽  
Positive Role ◽  
Governmental Organization ◽  
Global Management ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations

Non-state factors begin to play more and more significant role in processes of global management. The international non-governmental organizations are on a special place among them (INGO). In the last decade they are growing noticeably. In this regard it is necessary to study the role and the meaning of international non-governmental organizations in the process of global management. It is a vital need of modern science. Attempts to elaborate definition of the concept "international non-governmental organization" were made repeatedly but all developed concepts have certain shortcomings (don't reflect the legal nature of INGO, membership, activity purposes, etc.). The bulk of non-governmental organizations are created for the solution of specific problems or work within a certain perspective. Today these organizations actively deal with issues connected with humanitarian assistance, protection of human rights and environmental protection, providing peace and safety, participate in educational programs, sports projects. They provide analysis and expert assessment of various problems, including global problems, act as mechanism of "early notification" and promote control of international agreements execution. But, without looking, for rather positive role of MNPO in their activity there are also certain problems. INGO is often accused in internal state affairs. Their activity often has politized character.

scholarly journals The Role of Donor Agencies in Promoting Standardized Project Management in the Spanish Development Non-Government Organizations

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 1490
Author(s):  
Agustín Moya-Colorado ◽  
Nina León-Bolaños ◽  
José L. Yagüe-Blanco
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
International Development ◽  
Management Practice ◽  
Development Cooperation ◽  
Management Tools ◽  
Governmental Organization ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
Funding Mechanisms ◽  
Donor Agencies

Project management is an autonomous discipline that is applied to a huge diversity of activity sectors and that has evolved enormously over the last decades. International Development Cooperation has incorporated some of this discipline’s tools into its professional practice, but many gaps remain. This article analyzes donor agencies’ project management approaches in their funding mechanisms for projects implemented by non-governmental organizations. As case study, we look at the Spanish decentralized donor agencies (Spanish autonomous communities). The analysis uses the PM2 project management methodology of the European Commission, as comparison framework, to assess and systematize the documentation, requirements, and project management tools that non-governmental organizations need to use and fulfill as a condition to access these donors’ project funding mechanisms. The analysis shows coincidence across donors in the priority given to project management areas linked to the iron triangle (scope, cost, and time) while other areas are mainly left unattended. The analysis also identifies industry-specific elements of interest (such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals) that need to be incorporated into project management practice in this field. The use of PM2 as benchmark provides a clear vision of the project management areas that donors could address to better support their non-governmental organization-implemented projects.

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