scholarly journals Do NGOs Differ? How, with What Consequences?

2009 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 9-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nimruji Jammulamadaka
Keyword(s):  
Social Welfare ◽  
Social Innovation ◽  
Organizational Form ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Non Profit ◽  
For Profit ◽  
Goods And Services ◽  
Funding Sources ◽  
The Social ◽  
Contract Failure

NGOs are an integral part of present day organizational landscape. They are perceived to be much better than government and for-profit businesses in delivering the social welfare goods and services needed by society. Policy makers in India and the world over are showing an increasing preference for NGOs to implement various social welfare programmes. The present essay examines the rationale underlying such a preference and the relevance of the advantages attributed to NGOs. The NGO organizational form differs from public bureaucracies and for-profit businesses based on the two criteria of non-governmentness and non-profitness. Various advantages like ability to attract altruistic resources, to provide for unmet and heterogenous demand for public goods, protection against contract failure, and freerider problem are attributed to these two defining features of NGOs. They are also seen as sites that facilitate socialization in democratic participation, social innovation, and responsiveness. When examined in the socio-historical backdrop of Indian NGO sector, each of these advantages while having relevance historically is being severely compromised in recent times. The shift in voluntarism from a calling to a paid employment, institutionalization of funding sources, deployment of hard contracting and other developments in the NGO sector have dampened the perceived advantages. Altruism is more likely an involuntary subsidization and NGOs are more and more becoming mass producers of welfare goods. The focus on clear, wellplanned project proposals and documents and clearly specified procedures and budgets have reduced the elbow room available to NGOs to innovate. This loss of relevance is primarily because the organic features of the organizational form which bestowed some of the advantages on NGOs are now being traded off in favour of a more standardized, formalized form that is scalable and monitorable. Yet, because of the preferences of the institutionalized funders, non-profitness continues to remain a defining feature of NGOs even though it may not be giving the organization a competitive advantage over public bureaucracies or for-profit businesses. On the contrary, the constraint on profits, has resulted in NGOs adopting practices which expose them to criticism. These practices, while being perfectly rational for other kinds of organizations, become contortions in the case of NGOs. It is therefore necessary for us to re-examine the nature of NGOs and assess the role played by the non-profit constraint and come up with appropriate mechanisms that facilitate the provision of welfare goods/services to society by these organizations.

Social Innovation in the For-Profit Organization

2018 ◽  
pp. 123-136
Author(s):  
Tindara Abbate ◽  
Angelo Presenza ◽  
Lorn R. Sheehan
Keyword(s):  
Social Entrepreneurship ◽  
Social Problems ◽  
Social Innovation ◽  
Social Economic ◽  
Social Issues ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Non Profit ◽  
For Profit ◽  
Private Organizations ◽  
Ways Of Thinking

Social entrepreneurship and social innovation are attracting increasing attention from policy makers, practitioners, as well as academics. They represent different ways of thinking and addressing social issues often overlooked by public/private organizations and also provide a viable means of responding to multiple social, economic and environmental crises. With this in mind, this chapter leads to a better understanding of social entrepreneurship and social innovation in the non-profit sector, using one specific case followed by a more generalized discussion. The case of “Banca Prossima” illustrates engagement in social problems and trying to find and apply new solutions that simultaneously meet a social need while also leading to new or improved capabilities and relationships and a better use of assets and resources.

scholarly journals SHARING ECONOMY AND THE SOCIAL-ECONOMIC CONTEXT: MERCENARISM OR COMMON GOOD?

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
ALINE D. R. LAZZARI ◽  
MAIRA PETRINI ◽  
ANA CLARA SOUZA
Keyword(s):  
Social Inequality ◽  
Social Innovation ◽  
Social Economic ◽  
Theoretical Framework ◽  
Sharing Economy ◽  
Non Profit ◽  
For Profit ◽  
Economic Context ◽  
Transformative Potential ◽  
The Social

ABSTRACT Purpose: The aim of this research is to understand how the social-economic context influences the transformative potential of the sharing economy (SE). Originality/value: The literature on SE is still fraught with uncertainty. We have found that there is a paradox between generating social benefits to the community versus increasing social inequality. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected from documentary analysis, netnography, participant observation, and interviews. The data collected were analyzed in the light of the theoretical framework proposed by Wittmayer et al. (2019) for the analysis of narratives related to social innovation. Findings: The produced narratives differ in terms of the type of platform (profit and non-profit). We have found that, in non-profit platforms, the economic and social context does not influence the transformative potential guided by the SE; for-profit platforms, on the other hand, the narrative of ‘income opportunity’ is context-sensitive. The main contributions of the research are the use of a theoretical framework of social innovation to analyze the narratives of the SE and the observation of contextual differences about the phenomenon, which should lead platforms and governments (in their regulatory role) to have different views on SE. We conclude that the narratives of the SE are different. For-profit platforms either do not take part or contribute very little to the phe nomenon of social innovation as a transformative process and, in the contexts of greater social-economic vulnerability, it can be a mechanism of worsening social inequality.

Social Innovation in the For-Profit Organization

2019 ◽  
pp. 35-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tindara Abbate ◽  
Angelo Presenza ◽  
Lorn R. Sheehan
Keyword(s):  
Social Entrepreneurship ◽  
Social Problems ◽  
Social Innovation ◽  
Social Economic ◽  
Social Issues ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Non Profit ◽  
For Profit ◽  
Private Organizations ◽  
Ways Of Thinking

Social entrepreneurship and social innovation are attracting increasing attention from policy makers, practitioners, as well as academics. They represent different ways of thinking and addressing social issues often overlooked by public/private organizations and also provide a viable means of responding to multiple social, economic and environmental crises. With this in mind, this chapter leads to a better understanding of social entrepreneurship and social innovation in the non-profit sector, using one specific case followed by a more generalized discussion. The case of “Banca Prossima” illustrates engagement in social problems and trying to find and apply new solutions that simultaneously meet a social need while also leading to new or improved capabilities and relationships and a better use of assets and resources.

scholarly journals Social entrepreneurship orientation and performance in non-profit organizations

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francisco do Adro ◽  
Cristina I. Fernandes ◽  
Pedro M. Veiga ◽  
Sascha Kraus
Keyword(s):  
Social Entrepreneurship ◽  
Social Innovation ◽  
Social Performance ◽  
Quantitative Methodology ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Non Profit ◽  
Social Risks ◽  
The Social ◽  
Non Profit Organizations ◽  
And Performance

AbstractWith the downturn in the global socioeconomic panorama, the social entrepreneurship orientation (SEO) and the social performance of non-profit organizations (NPOs) have become subject to growing levels of attention. The objective of this study is to analyze the influence of SEO on the performance of NPOs. To this end, we deployed a quantitative methodology based on the application of a survey of NPOs, which received a total of 135 valid responses. Our results demonstrate a positive effect for the dimensions of social innovation and social proactivity even while reporting no effect for the acceptance of social risks on performance. These results hold important implications across two different levels: in terms of the NPOs and policy-makers.

scholarly journals Managing corporate identities of non-profit organisations in the social welfare sector

2013 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lida Holtzhausen
Keyword(s):  
Social Welfare ◽  
Identity Management ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Corporate Identity ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Full Potential ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Non Profit ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Government

Present-day South Africa is characterised by many societal and developmental issues, such as HIV awareness and prevention, child-headed households, environmental protection, poverty alleviation, violence and victim aid. However, it is widely acknowledged that government alone cannot address these issues effectively. The role of non-profit organisations (NPOs) in addressing social and development issues is increasingly emphasised. NPOs work at grass-roots level and they can therefore, on the whole, identify societal vulnerabilities and risks earlier than the government sector. However, due to the economic recession, NPOs operate in a competitive environment where an increasing number of NPOs rely on a small number of donors and other resources. NPOs should therefore differentiate themselves from the competition in order to obtain public legitimacy and funding. Corporate identity management is important for NPOs to fulfil their role in social welfare and thus contribute to disaster risk reduction. The exploratory nature of this study dictates a qualitative research approach. Semi-structured interviews with management of five NPOs in the social welfare sector were conducted in order to provide an answer to the study’s research question: ‘To what extent do NPOs in the social welfare sector practise corporate identity management, in order to prevent and address social welfare risks?’ The research found that NPOs do not realise the full potential of managing their corporate identities. NPOs therefore do not take advantage of a strong and distinct corporate identity which would allow them to ensure their ability to assess, address, reduce and/or alleviate vulnerabilities and disaster risks.

Conceptualizing the Social Economy in China

2012 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 1083-1123 ◽  
Author(s):  
LI ZHAO
Keyword(s):  
Social Welfare ◽  
Political Institutions ◽  
Poverty Reduction ◽  
Social Economy ◽  
Welfare System ◽  
Cultural Traditions ◽  
For Profit ◽  
Social Welfare System ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Impact

AbstractThis study offers a conceptual analysis of the social economy in China within the context of institutional transition. In China, economic reform has engendered significant social changes. Accelerated economic growth, privatization of the social welfare system, and the rise of civil society explain the institutional contexts in which a range of not-for-profit initiatives, neither state-owned nor capital-driven, re-emerged. They are defined in this research as the social economy in China. This study shows that although the term itself is quite new, the social economy is no new phenomenon in China, as its various elements have a rich historical tradition. Moreover, the impact of the transition on the upsurge of the Chinese social economy is felt not only through direct means of de-nationalization and marketization and, as a consequence, the privatization of China's social welfare system, but also through various indirect means. The development of the social economy in China was greatly influenced by the framework set by political institutions and, accordingly, legal enabling environments. In addition, the link to the West, as well as local historical and cultural traditions, contribute towards explaining its re-emergence. Examining the practices in the field shows that the social economy sector in China is conducive to achieving a plural economy and an inclusive society, particularly by way of poverty reduction, social service provision, work integration, and community development. Therefore, in contemporary China, it serves as a key sector for improving welfare, encouraging participation, and consolidating solidarity.

Business Anthropology

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann T. Jordan
Keyword(s):  
Consumer Behavior ◽  
Improve Patient Safety ◽  
Human Consumption ◽  
Anthropological Perspective ◽  
Non Profit ◽  
For Profit ◽  
Theoretical Perspectives ◽  
The Social ◽  
The World ◽  
The Rich

Business anthropology is a fast-evolving field. Social sciences such as sociology, psychology, and anthropology each have a unique set of constructs and theories for studying human behavior and each brings special insights to understanding business. Anthropologists are skilled in observing and learning from the rich interaction of social beings in their environment. With methods based in techniques for first-hand observation and interviewing of participants, and with theoretical knowledge gleaned from studying human societies across the world, anthropologists are the social scientists uniquely situated by training to analyze the social milieu and group-patterned interaction in any human setting. Simply, business anthropology is the use of anthropological constructs, theory, and methods to study its three subfields: organizations, marketing and consumer behavior, and design. Organizational anthropology is the study of complex organizations from an anthropological perspective to solve organizational problems or better understand the nature and functioning of the organizational form within and across organizations. In marketing and consumer behavior anthropology’s methods allow one to get close to consumers and understand their needs, while anthropology’s theoretical perspectives allow one to understand how human consumption plays out on the world stage. In the design field anthropologists use their methods to observe and learn from the detailed interaction of social beings in the designed environments in which we all live. They use their theoretical perspectives to develop a holistic analysis of the rich data to develop new products and evaluate and improve existing ones whether they be refrigerators or office buildings. The field of business anthropology is difficult to define because the moniker “business anthropology” is a misnomer. This field, as most anthropologists practice it, is not limited to work in for-profit businesses. Business anthropologists work with for-profit organizations, but also non-profit ones, government organizations and with supranational regulatory bodies. In addition to working for a business, an organizational anthropologist might be working in a non-profit hospital to improve patient safety, a design anthropologist might be working for an NGO to develop a less fuel-intensive cooking system for refugee camps and an anthropologist in marketing might be working in a government agency to develop ways to advertise new vaccines.

scholarly journals Impacts of Green Production Decision on Social Welfare

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 453 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zheng Zhang ◽  
Yingtong Wang ◽  
Qingchun Meng ◽  
Xinyang Luan
Keyword(s):  
Social Welfare ◽  
Environmental Benefit ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Green Consumers ◽  
The Social ◽  
Green Production ◽  
Important Approach ◽  
Physical Attributes ◽  
Production Decision ◽  
Positive Effect

As an important approach of achieving sustainable development, green production plays a significant role in improving the ecological environment and total social welfare. In order to clarify the impacts of green production on social welfare favorably, this paper assumes that there are two types of consumers in the market: the green and the brown. Green consumers have green preference, focusing on the environmental and physical attributes of products; while brown consumers only value the physical attributes. We have obtained some intriguing conclusions through the use of the Hotelling model, as follows: (i) The total social welfare will benefit from green production. Meanwhile, we also find that the social welfare is likely to reach the highest value in scenario BG (i.e., both enterprises implement green production) or scenario SG (i.e., only one enterprise implements green production). (ii) Moreover, the total social welfare is always positively related to the degree of consumer green preference and unit of environmental benefit parameters in scenario SG and scenario BG. (iii) Finally, in scenario BG, the proportion of green consumers has a positive effect on the total social welfare, while only when certain conditions are satisfied, the higher proportion of green consumers will benefit the social welfare in scenario SG. Our findings can provide useful managerial insights for policy-makers in the development of green production.

The Social and Political Dimensions of Co-operative Enterprises

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victor A. Pestoff
Keyword(s):  
Social Services ◽  
Social Dimensions ◽  
For Profit ◽  
Political Role ◽  
Goods And Services ◽  
Industrial Age ◽  
The Social ◽  
Political Dimensions ◽  
Post Industrial

The role of co-operatives as providers of goods and services, as in the industrial age, more recently became overshadowed by their potential as providers of social services. In the post-industrial or service society, co-operatives are found in a growing number of countries. Co-operative enterprises have a unique capacity to mobilize social capital and provide relational goods that neither public nor private for-profit providers demonstrate. This brings co-operative enterprises full-circle in terms of their historical political role as democratic pioneers, since they can now also contribute to reducing the growing democratic deficit. This chapter explores the political and social dimensions of co-operative enterprises that pursue multiple goals. It also introduces a dynamic model of co-operative development that can be fruitfully employed for analysing the social and political dilemmas faced by co-operative enterprises.

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