Types Of Nonprofit Organizations Research Articles

Religion and Social-political Action: The Catholic Church, Catholic Charities, and the American Welfare State

A few years ago the sociologist Alan Wolfe summarized his observations of the current debates surrounding the American welfare state as follows: ‘With the left on the defensive and unions in declin...

DETERMINANTS OF DONATIONS: EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE FROM TAIWAN

In this paper, data from the 1999 Survey of Social Development Trend (SSDT) in Taiwan were used to examine the effects of income, tax price, as well as demographic variables on donations to different types of nonprofit organizations. The findings of this paper suggest that the effect of income on the level of donations was positively significant only for charitable and religious donations, but not for other types of donations. In addition, lowering the tax price of a donation exerted a significant effect on the probability of making donations only for religious contributions, but it also raised the level of contributions both for charitable and religious donations. The effects of most demographic variables were significant for the participation decision for all the different types of donations, but not significant for the levels of donations to academic, medical, and political organizations.

Doing Better While Doing Good: Motivational Aspects of Pay-for-Performance Effectiveness in Nonprofit Organizations

Management practices in the nonprofit sector have been changing over the last decade. Many nonprofit organizations are now mimicking the management techniques of for-profit organizations. Referring to prevailing economic, psychological, and management theories, this paper deals with pay-for-performance plans and specifies reasons for their introduction into nonprofit organizations. The determinants of pay-for-performance effectiveness are analyzed with special emphasis on the motivational determinants. The results of the analysis are incorporated into a model of pay-for-performance effectiveness. Referring to theoretical reasoning as well as empirical studies, this paper analyzes how the motivational determinants of pay-for-performance effectiveness are coined in different types of nonprofit organizations. The paper ends with a discussion in which the author presents an alternative explanation for the introduction of pay-for-performance plans into nonprofit organizations and some suggestions for future research.

Making sense of accountability: Conceptual perspectives for northern and southern nonprofits

AbstractThis article examines the concept of accountability from various disciplinary lenses in order to develop an integrated understanding of the term. Special attention is devoted to principal—agent perspectives from political science and economics. An integrated framework is developed, based on four central observations. (1) Accountability is relational in nature and is constructed through inter‐ and intraorganizational relationships. (2) Accountability is complicated by the dual role of nonprofits as both principals and agents in their relationships with other actors. (3) Characteristics of accountability necessarily vary with the type of nonprofit organization being examined. (4) Accountability operates through external as well as internal processes, such that an emphasis on external oversight and control misses other dimensions of accountability essential to nonprofit organizations. The analysis draws from the experiences of both Northern and Southern nonprofits, that is, organizations based in wealthy industrialized regions of the world (the global North) and those in economically poorer areas (the South).

Building Credibility for Non-Profit Organizations through Webpage Interface Design

Limited research has examined the impact of visual communication on the web and none has explored how wired visual constructions influence an organization's credibility. This research tested a model of visual credibility through simulated web pages for two types of non-profit organizations. Contrary to previous work, a structured, symmetrical design was not uniformly seen as more credible than an organic, asymmetrical design. Further, regardless of the issue, photographs and bright, warm colors were found to confer credibility to an organization. Credibility gained through visual representations was found to engender intended participation in the non-profit organization - particularly among those who had already received positive information about the organization.

Relationships between Organizational Properties and Organizational Effectiveness in Three Types of Nonprofit Human Service Organizations

This paper presents and analyzes the relationships between organizational properties (centralization of authority, formalization, workers' autonomy, coordination, control, empowerment, and training) and organizational effectiveness in three types of nonprofit human service organizations: community centers, home care organizations, and residential boarding schools. The findings indicate that the distinctive properties of each type of organization, in addition to presenting a comparative analysis of the factors that contribute toward attainment of organizational effectiveness. It discusses the theoretical and practical implications of the findings for management of nonprofit organizations. This paper describes and analyzes the relationships between organizational properties and organizational effectiveness in three types of nonprofit organizations that provide personal, social, and community services. Home care organizations, residential boarding schools, and community centers.

RE-THINKING NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION GOVERNANCE: IMPLICATIONS FOR MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP

ABSTRACT This article proposes a conceptual framework for re-examining NPO governance, especially focussing upon the roles and responsibilities of boards, executives, and other staff and volunteers. It draws from Talcott Parson's idea that all human organizations exhibit three distinct levels of responsibility and control – institutional, managerial, and technical/operational. Both academic scholarship and nonprofit organization practice are increasingly re-considering the structure and functions of governance and management within nonprofit organizations (NPOs). While it can be argued that the governance portion of the institutional level of functioning should be located with the volunteer board of directors, otherwise I suggest that the following factors affect the appropriate division of roles and responsibilities among board, executive, and other staff and volunteers within an NPO: 1)the size of the NPO's budget, staff, and board; 2) the number of active volunteers and the breadth of roles they perfor...

A Third Sector in the Third Millennium

Three trends since the 1960s underscore the need for different ways of conceptualizing the new mixed economy in the human services. First, there has been an enormous increase in the number and types of nonprofit organizations, and greater dependence on governmental revenue. Second, extensive growth in privatization and commercialization in the human services. Third, this culminated in the convergence and blurring of sectoral boundaries. Numerous metaphors have been suggested to describe these new patterns, but more suitable concepts and theories are needed. Four theoretical frameworks are analyzed for an intersectoral study of organizations in the same industry: (1) political economy, (2) organizational ecology, (3) neoinstitutionalism, and (4) mixed, open systems. As analytic paradigms, these frameworks could supplement, complement, or be integrated with other research models for third sector studies, and could contribute to theory building and social policy.

On the origins and reasons behind nonprofit involvement and non-involvement in low income housing in urban India

The article examines the origins of Indian nonprofit organizations (NPOs) involved in the low income housing sector in urban areas and explores the reasons for NPO “involvement” or “non-involvement” in the sector by analyzing a series of case studies. Three types of NPOs are discussed: nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), secular welfare churches' organizations (WCOs), and community based organizations (CBOs). The analytical framework is drawn from: propositions on the local state developed in the context of industrialized nations; literature on the voluntary sector which considers broader socioeconomic and political factors and is also developed in the context of industrialized nations; and studies of Third World NGOs which incorporate institutional histories, political, social, and economic realities, associational cultures, and human agency. Drawing from this literature, the article suggests two ways of understanding the origins and reasons behind NPO involvement and non-involvement in housing. These are analyzing NPOs as organizations of human agents which have identities, objectives, and institutional and social histories; and local conditions, institutional behavior, associational culture, local politics and actions of local agents.

The Role of the Nonprofit Sector in a Self-Governing Society: A View from the United States

This article explores the role of private, nonprofit organizations in a self-governing society. A framework identifying the diverse theories that explain the various types of nonprofit organizations observed in contemporary American society is sketched. This provides a fuller understanding of the varied and complex ways that nonprofit organizations contribute to the institutions of governance.

Nonprofit Organizations' Strategic Responses to Changes in Their Funding Environment:

This pilot study examines nonprofit organizations' attempts to implement strategies in response to changes in their funding environment for HIV/AIDS services. Both past and future strategic initiatives were examined. Many of the related new revenue, legitimation, and retrenchment strategies were found to be significantly different across some types of nonprofit organizations but not for others. Operational implications and future research directions are addressed.

Broadening the Marketing Concept to Churches

While many different types of nonprofit organizations have become more marketing-oriented, churches have been extremely slow in accepting the marketing concept. The purpose of this paper is to offer logical arguments for broadening the marketing concept and its techniques to churches. A discussion of the critical challenges facing churches as well as the factors hindering churches from becoming more marketing oriented will be provided. Finally, the paper will define the characteristics of a marketing oriented church and discuss how marketing can help churches better serve their congregations and society and continue to grow and prosper.

Politics and the development of the Hungarian non-profit sector

One of the important developments in post-Communist Hungary has been the growth of the voluntary or non-profit sector. Under the Communist regime, voluntary associations were controlled and independent organisations were largely suppressed. During the 1980s, advocacy groups and independent associations emerged to challenge the Communist monopoly on organisation. These challenges were instrumental in laying the foundation for the post-Communist non-profit sector, providing models of organisation and experienced activists. After the creation of a new legal framework in 1989 and 1990, the growth of the non-profit sector was dramatic. Two types of non-profit organisations have developed in democratic Hungary: associations predominate in membership activities, while foundations are active in fields requiring fund-raising. Attempts by the Hungarian Democratic Forum-led government to shape the non-profit sector to meet its goals were met with political pressure from professionals in the non-profit sector. The result was the beginnings of a contract-for-service regime and increased organisation of a contract-for-service regime and increased organisation of interests within the non-profit sector itself.

Institutional Theory: Employing the Other Side of Rationality in Non‐profit Organizations1

SUMMARYThe non‐profit sector has become increasingly important in diverse economic, political and social environments. It is not clear that we have effectively communicated, to colleagues, students and decision makers, theoretical developments useful for understanding and managing non‐profit organizations. This paper discusses the potential implications of institutional theory to the management of one type of non‐profit organization, the publicly supported non‐profit organization with input‐output relationships that are not well understood. We review institutional theory and discuss the implications of institutional theory to the management and evaluation of publicly supported non‐profit organizations.