Board of Directors and Innovation in Nonprofit Organizations Model: Preliminary Evidence from Nonprofit Organizations in Developing Countries

Abstract

Innovation is critical for nonprofit organizations’ effective response to changing environmental conditions. While the board of directors, which has the ultimately responsibility for leadership and governance of nonprofit organizations, is in a position to facilitate the development of such capacity, theoretical and empirical literature on this link is very limited and originates primarily in developed world countries, limiting its generalizability and usefulness to other national contexts. The author of this article sought to contribute to the growing literature on boards and innovation by (1) discussing potential usefulness of a Western conceptual model—Board of directors and innovation in nonprofit organizations (Jaskyte, Human services as complex organizations, 2012)—to other contexts, more specifically those of developing countries and (2) providing preliminary empirical evidence for the links presented in the model from nonprofit organizations in developing countries. Five representatives of four social service nonprofit organizations in developing countries known for their continuous innovation were interviewed in order to gain some insights into the board’s role in facilitating innovation. While limited, preliminary data provide support for the importance of board attribute and process variables for organization’s capacity for continuous innovation, and suggest that considering cultural contexts when assessing usefulness of established models might be paramount.