From the inside looking out: towards an ecosystem paradigm of third sector organizational performance measurement

Abstract

ABSTRACT Effective organizational performance measurement supports the long-term viability of third sector organizations. According to extant literature, it has been driven by accountability, legitimacy and improvement. While some aspects of these are outward-facing, their focus seems to be intra-organizational. Our study shows evidence of a different approach to third sector organizational performance: qualitative data from the Scottish social care third sector suggest a paradigm shift on what drives and enables performance measurement in this sector. Moving away from an instrumental, compliance- and inward-focused approach, our findings point to an organizational performance measurement ecosystem marked by adaptation, sustainability strategies and inter-organizational collaborations.