Role Of Nonprofit Organizations Research Articles

Nonprofit Pharma: Solutions to What Ails the Industry

Nonprofit organizations (NPOs) play an increasingly important role providing solutions to the significant challenges faced today by both large pharmaceutical and smaller biotechnology companies, not to mention academia. NPOs chartered for the public benefit are common in the USA and in selected other parts of the world. SRI International, originally founded as the Stanford Research Institute in 1946, is one of the largest and most successful independent NPOs. To provide a perspective on NPO business models, a number of SRI case studies spanning a broad range of technical and business initiatives will be summarized, including basic and contract research, discovery and development of new drugs and biologics, pharmaceutical and biotech research and development and contract services, technology pivots, company spin-ins and spin-outs, and the creation of new NPOs. How to bridge the National Institute of Health's "Valley of Death" and how to navigate the Food and Drug Administration's "Critical Path" will be discussed. We conclude with lessons learned about collaborations and routes to commercialization, along with food for thought for bioscience companies and outsourcing participants. Throughout, we attempt to explain why the role of NPOs is important to both the scientific and business communities and to patients and caregivers.

The new role of nonprofit organizations: From middleman to a platform organization

The new role of nonprofit organizations: From middleman to a platform organization

New landscape of homelessness in Japan: The role of NPOs and landscape of the problem

In Japan, the term “homeless” applies solely to people who are forced to sleep on the street. Efforts to address the problem have mainly been directed at putting homeless people to work to make them self-supporting. However, in recent years the number of people suffering from various kinds of housing insecurity has increased steeply, and public concern has heightened and broadened the examination of ensuing housing problems. This article examines the circumstances of different types of housing-insecure persons, based on surveys of “rough sleepers” and those who spend the night in internet cafes, and also describes certain types of housing used by laborers in unstable fields, factors which have until now concealed the extent of the homelessness problem. Next, the author introduces the new strategy of housing assistance that is being promoted by the public sector and non-profit organizations (NPOs) in the face of the diversifying nature of homelessness. The article then attempts to elucidate the role that NPOs play in the new process.

Who Has the Power? The Role of NPOs in Local Authorities

Recent years have seen accelerated processes of decentralization and devolution of social services from central government toward local authorities and from them to non-profit organizations (NPOs). This article describes a case study of the process of transition of power from a local authority to a NPO and the outcomes of this transition on public policy making. The findings presented in the article are based on a qualitative analysis of documents over a period of 7 years (1999–2006) in a large local authority in Israel and its relations with a NPO which provide services for the elderly.

Primary health care service delivery in South Africa

The paper's aim is to determine the role of non-profit organizations (NPOs) in filling possible gaps in primary health care (PHC) service provision. District (n = 10) and sub-district needs (n = 14) analyses were conducted in five South African provinces. In each case, the district/sub-district manager was interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. The service gaps identified were understaffing/lack of capacity, difficulty in retaining and recruiting staff, service disparities, inaccessibility of services/low-service utilisation and limited funding. It was believed that NPOs could fill these gaps. About 83 per cent perceived the relationship between government and NPOs as good. Contract monitoring, quality of service, communication and quality control were said to be unsatisfactory. The majority of sub-districts (11) indicated that they provided supplies to NPOs; 50 per cent perceived the relationship between the sub-districts and NPOs as good or very good. NPOs have critical role to play in PHC service delivery. The study provides critical information required to make informed effective strategic decisions that support district/sub-district performance and sustainability in a decentralized health system.

Governance Structures Matter, and We Must Maintain What We Construct: Considering the Role of Nonprofit Organizations in Public Policy Processes

Public Administration ReviewVolume 68, Issue 3 p. 591-594 Governance Structures Matter, and We Must Maintain What We Construct: Considering the Role of Nonprofit Organizations in Public Policy Processes Max O. Stephenson Jr., Corresponding Author Max O. Stephenson Jr. Virginia Tech Institute for Policy and GovernanceMax O. Stephenson, Jr., currently serves as director of the Virginia Tech Institute for Policy and Governance. He has published in many leading academic journals, including Voluntas, Public Administration Review, Administrative Theory and Praxis, Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, Nonprofit Management and Leadership, Urban Studies, Disasters, and Community Development Journal. He received his doctorate from the University of Virginia.E-mail: mstephen@vt.eduSearch for more papers by this author Max O. Stephenson Jr., Corresponding Author Max O. Stephenson Jr. Virginia Tech Institute for Policy and GovernanceMax O. Stephenson, Jr., currently serves as director of the Virginia Tech Institute for Policy and Governance. He has published in many leading academic journals, including Voluntas, Public Administration Review, Administrative Theory and Praxis, Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, Nonprofit Management and Leadership, Urban Studies, Disasters, and Community Development Journal. He received his doctorate from the University of Virginia.E-mail: mstephen@vt.eduSearch for more papers by this author First published: 24 March 2008 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6210.2008.00897.xRead the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Volume68, Issue3May|June 2008Pages 591-594 RelatedInformation

Nonprofit and for‐profit developers of subsidized rental housing: Comparative attributes and collaborative opportunities

This article presents background information on the growth, productivity, and unique focus of nonprofit housing producers and discusses the various government and private initiatives that support this sector. The article also explores the strengths and weaknesses of for‐profit and nonprofit organizations in developing and owning subsidized rental housing and questions the cost‐effectiveness of pursuing one strategy or the other and the long‐term viability of projects developed by each type of sponsor. Answers, however, are far from conclusive. Effective housing production and long‐term ownership of subsidized housing require the developer to address at least 12 broad areas of concern. In some, nonprofits appear to have the advantage, while in others, for‐profit developers generally have the edge. Nonprofits and for‐profits can join together in partnership arrangements, and some of the key requirements for such efforts are discussed. Recommendations for policy changes to enhance the role of nonprofit organizations are offered.

The role of non-profit organisations in migration policies: Spain and Italy compared

The aim of the paper is to investigate the relation between Non-Profit Organizations (NP) and immigration. In particular, we examine the services offered to immigrants in Italy and Spain, both noted for their similar patterns of migration. In these countries immigration is characterised by a lack of the so-called “real” (not just legislative) measures that take the needs of immigrants into consideration. Even though emergency policies exist to meet various contingencies, lack of awareness of population movements is probably behind the “absence” of the state. The hypothetic and causal connection between the NP sector and immigration will be studied using selected data. The positive results of the analysis are the first stage in considering the possible substitution of state institutions by the NP sector, with regard to immigrants.

The Question of Sustainability for Microfinance Institutions*

Microentrepreneurs have considerable difficulty accessing capital from mainstream financial institutions. One key reason is that the costs of information about the characteristics and risk levels of borrowers are high. Relationship‐based financing has been promoted as a potential solution to information asymmetry problems in the distribution of credit to small businesses. In this paper, we seek to better understand the implications for providers of “microfinance” in pursuing such a strategy. We discuss relationship‐based financing as practiced by microfinance institutions (MFIs) in the United States, analyze their lending process, and present a model for determining the break‐even price of a microcredit product. Comparing the model’s results with actual prices offered by existing institutions reveals that credit is generally being offered at a range of subsidized rates to microentrepreneurs. This means that MFIs have to raise additional resources from grants or other funds each year to sustain their operations as few are able to survive on the income generated from their lending and related operations. Such subsidization of credit has implications for the long‐term sustainability of institutions serving this market and can help explain why mainstream financial institutions have not directly funded microenterprises. We conclude with a discussion of the role of nonprofit organizations in small business credit markets, the impact of pricing on their potential sustainability and self‐sufficiency, and the implications for strategies to better structure the credit market for microbusinesses.

The role of nonprofit organizations in the delivery of family services in 11 EU member and applicant states

English This article explores how family services are delivered across EU member and applicant states through nonprofit organizations. Historical, political, cultural and financial factors are shown to impact upon the role of NPOs at both the national and sub-national levels, which may determine the efficacy of measures to increase nonprofit sector involvement in policy implementation. French Cet article explore les faµons par lesquelles les organismes à but non lucratif desservent les familles dans les états membres de l'Union européenne et dans les pays requérants. La recherche démontre que des facteurs historiques, politiques, culturels et financiers ont un impact sur le rôle des organismes à but non lucratif tant au niveau national que régional. Ces facteurs peuvent déterminer l'efficacité des mesures utilisées pour hausser l'implication du secteur des organismes à but non lucratif dans l'implémentation des politiques. Spanish Este trabajo explora la manera en que son otorgados los servicios familiares, en diferentes estados de la Unión Europea, a través de las organizaciones altruistas. Se muestra cómo los factores históricos, políticos, culturales y financieros influyen sobre el papel que cumplen estas organizaciones tanto a nivel nacional como a nivel local; lo cual puede determinar la eficacia de las medidas para incrementar la participación del sector altruista en la implementación de políticas.

Governance and Competition: The Role of Non-profit Organisations in the Delivery of Public Services

The movement away from a unified public service towards the development of quasi-markets based on the involvement of private firms and non-profit organisations can be viewed as the most radical change to state-society relations since the advent of the modern welfare state. While there is a growing literature on the value this contracting regime has for governments, we know almost nothing about its impact upon the service delivery styles and mission of non-profit agencies. This study used focus groups and survey data from agencies involved in the Australian Job Network and its predecessor Working Nation . The results show that this contracting regime produced a convergence of service delivery strategies among different types of agency, higher caseloads, reduced attention to the needs of individual job-seekers and greater 'creaming' of the easiest clients at the expense of those more disadvantaged.

Since Silent Spring: New Voices, New Analyses, and New Movements

Forty years ago, in the enormously praised and fiercely criticized book, "Silent Spring", Rachel Carson demonstrated the dangers of pesticides to humans and ecosystems and called for precaution in their use. Yet, the majority of environmental regulations passed since 1962 have primarily addressed pollutant discharge rather than cleaner products and technologies. The number of active ingredients in pesticides used in the United States has risen from 32 in 1939 to 860 in recent times, while the overall volume of agrochemicals applied has nearly doubled since the publication of Silent Spring. The last 40 years have brought significant changes with respect to environmental policies, agricultural technologies, urbanization, civil rights, women's rights, the roles of non-profit organizations and community development, and increased poverty, hunger, and economic inequality. In recent years, new voices, new analyses, and new movements have emerged offering fresh perspectives on how we can answer Carson's clarion call to protect our planet and ourselves.

The Contribution of NPOs to Family Policy Formulation in EU Member and Applicant States

This paper examines the role of nonprofit organizations (NPOs) in the process of family policy formulation in eight member states and three applicant states of the European Union. Drawing upon interviews with representatives from the nonprofit sector, the author argues that the experiences of NPOs in family policy-making vary considerably between countries because of the way state–nonprofit relations operate. Social origins theory illustrates why these variations exist by pointing to broad societal influences on the nonprofit sector, but new empirical evidence presented here suggests that, in a particular policy field, other factors, such as the significance of the field on policy agendas, the strength of one particular organization in a specific cultural context, party ideology, and financial viability of the NPO, shape the role of organizations in the formulation of policies

Compensation to Managers of Charitable Organizations: An Empirical Study of the Role of Accounting Measures of Program Activities

We investigate how unique features of charities affect the manner in which they compensate their executives. We find that changes in compensation are significantly positively associated with changes in spending on programs that advance organization objectives, whether changes in program spending are attributable to changes in revenue raised or to changes in the relative costs of administering the charity. The results suggest that accounting performance measures can play a role in nonprofit organizations whose objectives are typically subjective and nonfinancial, and thus, whose progress toward objectives is difficult to quantify.

Employee Care and the Role of Nonprofit Organizations

Employees may care about the effect of their labor effort on output. When such care exists, this paper shows that nonprofit organizations (NPOs) are able to motivate their workers at lower cost than a standard profit-maximizing firm. Unlike previous explanations for NPOs, which depend on the noncontractibility of output, this explanation is consistent with the sectoral pattern of NPO activity. It also generates predictions about when NPOs are likely to be more efficient and predicts differences in employment patterns between for-profit firms and NPOs that are consistent with observations.

The Role of the Nonprofit Sector in Hong Kong's Development

The recent handover of Hong Kong to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) brought Hong Kong worldwide attention and scrutiny. In the run up to the handover, the international media prominently featured stories about Hong Kong’s freewheeling capitalism and the stability created by its administrative institutions. Lost in the media attention was the role of nonprofit organizations and the voluntary sector in Hong Kong’s political and economic development. Although Hong Kong has a vibrant civil society, it has received little attention from scholars. This paper reviews the role of the third sector in Hong Kong’s development. Among the issues the paper addresses are the legal codes that govern the creation and operation of nonprofit organizations in Hong Kong, the evidence regarding the role of the nonprofit sector in Hong Kong’s development, particularly its relationship to the government and market sectors, and the implications of the 1997 transition for the nonprofit sector’s role.

New roles of nonprofit organizations and partnership with government and/or business

The term NGO has been used more specifically to encompass nonprofit organizations engaged in international programs. In recent years, what Professor Lester Salamon of the Institute of Policy Studies of Johns Hopkins University has referred to as the ‘nonprofit sector’ seems popular worldwide. He defines nonprofit organizations as ‘organizations that share seven common features: they are formally constituted; organizationally separate from government; non‐profit‐seeking; self‐governing; voluntary to some significant degree; nonreligious; and nonpolitical (Salamon and Anheier 1994).’ To avoid confusion, the term ‘NGO’ is used in this paper in reference to nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations that are independent from any particular government office or private corporation and which are pursuing public interests.

Informing environmental decision making: environmental impact assessment in Russia and the United States

This paper examines the roles of nonprofit organizations as public participants in the environmental impact assessment process in the United States and Russia. Field data collection was carried out in fall 1999 in the U.S. and in winter 2000 in Russia. It was demonstrated that the U.S. citizens have a much greater access to participatory process than do Russians. However, Impact Assessment in both countries is advisory. In neither country do citizens have the right to participate in actual decision making.

Voluntary Organizations and Advocacy: The Case of Housing for Older Americans

This article provides a brief overview of nonprofit organizations and advocacy that outlines the multiple forms that advocacy might take and introduces a conceptual frame work for understanding better the discursive attributes of advocacy. Housing opportunities for older people in the United States are then reviewed, focusing in particular on the role of nonprofit organizations. This brief historical review provides the context for a consideration of the ways in which nonprofits have advocated on behalf of elderly people, in debates about housing, looking in particular at representations made at the Select Committeeon Aging. Conclusions address matters relating to both housing in particular and the role of nonprofits in a more general view.

Economic Institutions, Markets and Competition: Centralization and Decentralization in the Transformation of Economic Systems

The state and the firm - the centralization and decentralization of economic institutions - an introduction, Bruno Dallago and Luigi Mittone. Part 1 Institutions and markets: Creative Destruction in economic and political institutions, Massmio Egidi decentralization as the ability to adapt, Jack Birner what type of capitalism is produced by privatization?, Hans-Jurgen Wagener the market for institutions versus the strong hand of the state - the case of Eastern Europe, Svetozar Pejovich. Part 2 Centralization and decentralization, paradigms and facts: a presentation of fiscal federalism, Giorgio Brosio fiscal federalism in Russia, Pekka Sutela privatization, decentralization, competition - some lessons from a concentration analysis of Hungarian industries, Zoltan Bara labour market and employment policy in Central and Eastern Europe in the context of systematic change, Jeno Koltay. Part 3 Creation and development of markets in Eastern Europe: behavioural constraints and the creation of markets in post-Socialist economies, Wim Swaan decentralization and centralization in the enterprise sphere of the Czech Republic, Jana Sereghyova the collapse of the Russian economy - an institutional explanation, Ruud Knaack the revival of redistribution in Hungary, Eva Voszka inter-enterprise arrears in economies in transition - analytical, empirical and policy issues, Fabrizio Coricelli. Part 4 The quasi-market formula: the privatization of welfare services and the role of non-profit organization, Carlo Borzaga quasi-markets and incomplete information - the case of medical services in the UK and Italy, Luigi Mittone privatization, non-profit trusts and contracts for healthcare services in the UK, Will Bartlett.