Nonprofit leaders and for-profit entrepreneurs:similar people with different motivation

Today's market conditions require nonprofit leaders to act in an increasingly business-like fashion. This study asks whether NPO leaders have a similar disposition to act entrepreneurially as for-profit entrepreneurs, but hold different underlying motives. For this purpose, the study contrasts a sample of 72 leaders of nonprofit organizations with 117 entrepreneurs on their personality traits and explicit motives using standard personality tests and interviews. Both groups exhibit similar general and entrepreneurship-specific personality traits but differ significantly regarding their motivation. While nonprofit leaders' motivation stems primarily from the meaningfulness of their work; entrepreneurs are mainly motivated by the independence as well as by the income and profit provided by their work. This paper helps us understand who leaders of nonprofit organizations are.

Knowledge workers and their relationships with organisations

The programme of research examines knowledge workers, their relationships with organisations, and perceptions of management practices through the development of a theoretical model and knowledge worker archetypes. Knowledge worker and non-knowledge worker archetypes were established through an analysis of the extant literature. After an exploratory study of knowledge workers in a small software development company the archetypes were refined to include occupational classification data and the findings from Study 1. The Knowledge Worker Characteristics Model (KWCM) was developed as a theoretical framework in order to analyse differences between the two archetypes within the IT sector. The KWCM comprises of the variables within the job characteristics model, creativity, goal orientation, identification and commitment. In Study 2, a global web based survey was conducted. There were insufficient non-knowledge worker responses and therefore a cluster analysis was conducted to interrogate the archetypes further. This demonstrated, unexpectedly, that that there were marked differences within the knowledge worker archetypes suggesting the need to granulate the archetype further. The theoretical framework and the archetypes were revised (as programmers and web developers) and the research study was refocused to examine occupational differences within knowledge work. Findings from Study 2 identified that there were significant differences between the archetypes in relation to the KWCM. 19 semi-structured interviews were conducted in Study 3 in order to deepen the analysis using qualitative data and to examine perceptions of people management practices. The findings from both studies demonstrate that there were significant differences between the two groups but also that job challenge, problem solving, intrinsic reward and team identification were of importance to both groups of knowledge workers. This thesis presents an examination of knowledge workers’ perceptions of work, organisations and people management practices in the granulation and differentiation of occupational archetypes.

A stage-oriented model (SOM) for e-commerce adoption:a study of Saudi Arabian organisations

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to construct a new e-commerce innovation and adoption model that takes into account various stages of e-commerce adoption (interactive, non-interactive and stabilised) and covers technological, organisational and environmental factors. This was tested using data collected from manufacturing and service companies in Saudi Arabia (SA) to reveal inhibitors and catalysts for e-commerce adoption. Design/methodology/approach - This study uses new data from surveys from 202 companies and then uses exploratory factor analysis and structural equation modelling for analyses. Findings - This study shows that the new stage-oriented model (SOM) is valid and can reveal specific detailed nuances of e-commerce adoption within a particular setting. Surprising results show that SA is not so very different to developed western countries in respect to e-commerce adoption. However there are some important differences which are discussed in detail. Research limitations/implications - A new SOM for e-commerce adoption is provided which may be used by other IS adoption researchers. Practical implications - Managers responsible for the adoption of e-commerce in SA, the Middle East and beyond can learn from these findings to speed up adoption rates and make e-commerce more effective. Social implications - This work may help spread e-commerce use throughout SA, the Middle East and to other developing nations. Originality/value - The results add to the extremely limited number of empirical studies that has been conducted to investigate e-commerce adoption in the context of Arabic countries.

Modelling the E-business requirements of manufacturing organisations

This paper describes a model designed to recommend solutions to an organisation's e-business needs. It is designed to produce objective results based on perceived characteristics, unbiased by prejudice on the part of the person using the model. The model also includes a way of encapsulating the potential management concerns that may change for good or ill the likely relevance and probability of success of such solutions. The model has been tested on 13 case studies in small, medium and large organizations. © IFAC.

Szervezetek közötti együttműködés a fenntartható fejlődés szolgálatában (Cooperation among the organisations in service of the sustainable development)

A vállalatok egyre gyakrabban alakítanak ki olyan kapcsolatokat, melyek célja az egymással, illetve más típusú szervezetekkel (pl. kormányzati vagy civil szervezetekkel) különféle célok érdekében megvalósuló együttműködés. Ezen együttműködési formák egy része kedvező hatással van a vállalatok környezeti, illetve társadalmi teljesítményére is, és ezáltal – a szűken vett profitérdekeken túl – elősegíti a fenntartható fejlődés társadalmi céljának megvalósítását is. Jelen cikk célja, hogy bemutassa a vállalati szférára jellemző együttműködési formákat magyarázó legfontosabb szervezetelméleti megközelítéseket, majd ezek tükrében ismertesse a fenntartható fejlődés ügyét is elősegítő együttműködési kapcsolatok korszerű megnyilvánulási formáit. _________ Corporations more and more often engage in relationships, which aim at cooperation with each other and other types of organisations (e.g. governmental or nongovernmental organisations). Some of these collaborative efforts have a positive impact on the environmental and social performance of participating organisations and thus – apart from their positive impact on profitability – also foster the implementation of sustainable economic and social development. The objective of this article is to introduce the most important organisational theories, which give an explanation of the cooperative efforts of the corporate sector and, using this as a basis, to provide an overview of the most up-to-date forms of cooperation, which enhance our chances in the direction of a sustainable future.

A projektalapú szervezetek projektmarketing-tevékenységének sajátos kontextusa (Contextual features of project marketing activity of the project-based organisations)

Ez a tanulmány a projektvezetési szakirodalomban kialakult ismeretanyagot szem előtt tartva (noha tételesen nem hivatkozva arra) tárja fel azt a sajátos és tipikusnak nevezhető kontextust, amelyben a projektalapú szervezetek projektmarketing tevékenysége megnyilvánul. A tanulmány célja tehát nem magának a projektmarketingnek a kérdéskörére irányul, hanem elsősorban annak projektspecifikus kontextusára. Jellegét illetően a tanulmány spekulatív jellegű, vagyis lényegét tekintve nem empirikus kutatási eredményekből levont következtetésekre épül. _____ Traditional approach to project marketing focuses on process-related aspects of the marketing efforts of project- based organisations. This paper is different. Unlike to the traditional approach it highlights the decisive contextual features of project marketing, bearing in mind the typical project business from the point of view of project-based organisations. These features include: a) instead of physically existing products project-based organisations need to sell their ability to create the project outcome physically; b) the project outcome and the conditions of implementation are defined by the project client; c) project clients are involved in creating the project outcome; d) project implementation strategy applied in a client organisation may vary project by project. These determining contextual features shape to a great extent the actual competitive position of the project-based organisations which may vary project by project even in relation to the very same project client.

Üzleti teljesítménymérés a sportban, - avagy miként segítheti a sportszervezetek vezetőit a Balanced Scorecard koncepció a stratégia szerinti működésben = Measuring Business Performance in Sports - How the Balanced Scorecard approach can help sports organisations in operating along strategic objectives

Napjainkban egyre nagyobb figyelem fordul a sporttevékenység társadalmi hasznosságára, ugyanakkor számos sportszervezet a túléléséért küzd. A legtöbb sportszervezetnél a sportteljesítmény mérése dominál, s viszonylag kevés figyelmet fordítanak az üzleti teljesítmény és az ezt befolyásoló tényezők mérésére, annak ellenére, hogy a vezetők tudatában vannak a sportteljesítmény és az üzleti teljesítmény kölcsönös összefüggésével. A sportteljesítményt a fogyasztói elégedettségen keresztül bevételre kell váltani, illetve biztosítani kell a finanszírozási forrásokat (gondolhatunk akár a játékosok fizetésére) a megfelelő sportteljesítmény eléréséhez. A sportszervezetek vezetőinek át kell látniuk a sportteljesítmény és az üzleti teljesítmény összefüggéseit, és azonosítaniuk kell a kritikus értékteremtő tényezőket. Ehhez adhat egy megfelelő gondolkodási keretet a Balanced Scorecard alkalmazása. Tanulmányunkban egy rövid áttekintést adunk a Balanced Scorecard alkalmazásának előnyeiről és kihívásairól a non-profit szervezetek esetében, majd egy magyarországi kézilabda klubnál készített esettanulmány segítségével megvizsgáljuk a BSC alkalmazási lehetőségét a sportkluboknál. _____ While performance measurement in the sport industry has a traditionally strong focus on sports results, commercial success of sports clubs needs to gain more ground. Sports results should generate market revenues, by satisfying customer needs, and allow continued investment in the further improvement of sports success (i.e. more funds for player transfers and wages). Club managers need to understand the complex relationship between on-field and off-the-field success, and identify critical success factors for achieving strategic objectives. The Balanced Scorecard approach provides a plausible framework for such analysis. Our paper explains the challenges of and opportunities for implementing a Balanced Scorecard system in non-profit organisations, and provides insights into its application in professional sport through an in-depth case study of a handball club in Hungary. We conclude by providing a model for managing sports organisations in line with strategic objectives, balancing out stakeholder expectations for both sports results and commercial success.

Mi a baj a modern szervezetekkel? – Kritikai menedzsmentelméletek (What is the problem in modern organisations? – Critical Management Studies)

A nemzetközi, elsősorban európai szervezettudományban mára meghatározóvá vált a kritikai megközelítés, a hazai szakirodalomban mégis elvétve találni rá utalásokat. A szerzők írásukban tárgyalják, hogy a kritikai menedzsmentelméletek (KME) szemszögéből miként bírálható a mindenkori szervezeti gyakorlat, és miért bírálandók a főáramú menedzsmentelméletek. A tanulmány fő részében elméleti megkülönböztetéseket tesznek: egyrészt elhatárolják a kritikai megközelítést a főáramú szervezetelméletektől, másrészt több szempontból is különbséget tesznek a különféle – de egyaránt a KME alá tartozó – kritikai megközelítések között. De a kritikai szemlélethez hűen nem csak a puszta elméletismertetés volt a céljuk: e bevezetés és problémafelvető tanulmány – s a későbbiekben tervezett cikksorozat – szándékuk szerint vitaindítóként is szolgál. Abban bíznak, hogy a felvetett kérdésekről valódi, lényegi párbeszédet generálhatnak a hazai menedzsmenttudományban (kutatók, oktatók és elméletalkalmazók körében), mely kihathat a szervezeti gyakorlatra is. _____ Critical Management Studies (CMS) as a field of organization studies (OS) has become central internationally, and especially in Europe. Yet, its appearance is still very rare in the Hungarian OS literature. In this study first the authors discuss how the nowadays dominant organizational practices along with the mainstream management and organization theories are to be criticized from a Critical Management perspective. In the main section, so as to define CMS, they make important theoretical distinctions, first between CMS and mainstream organization theories (in general), and then among the different critical approaches that nevertheless all fall under the broad CMS umbrella. But, in line with a truly critical attitude, they not only go into theoretical discussions but, at least to their intention, the purpose of this introductory paper is also to addresses important problems both in the theory and the practice of organization and management. Therefore, it could serve as an opening of an important debate or dialogue in the Hungarian academic community (researchers, educators and other professionals), a theoretical discussion that could have real influence on organizational practice too.

Defining failure in the nonprofit organization: The case of four human service agencies

Private nonprofit human service organizations provide a spectrum of services that aim to resolve societal problems. Their failure may leave needed and desired services unprovided or not provided sufficiently to meet public demand. However, the concept of organizational failure has not been examined for the nonprofit organization. This research addresses the deficiency in the literatures of organization failure and nonprofit organizations.^ An eight category typology, developed from a review of the current literature and findings from expert interviews, is initially presented to define nonprofit organization failure. A multiple case study design is used to test the typology in four nonprofit human service delivery agencies. The case analysis reduces the typology to five types salient to nonprofit organization failure: input failure, legitimacy failure, adaptive failure, management failure and leadership failure.^ The resulting five category typology is useful to both theory builders and nonprofit practitioners. For theory development, the interaction of the failure types extends the literature and lays a foundation for a theory of nonprofit organization failure that diffuses management and leadership across all of the failure types, highlights management and leadership failure as collective functions shared by paid staff and the volunteer board of directors, and emphasizes the importance of organization legitimacy.^ From a practical perspective, the typology provides a tool for diagnosing failure in the nonprofit organization. Using the management indicators developed for the typology, a checklist of the warning signals of potential failure, emphasizing the key types of management and leadership, offers nonprofit decision makers a priori examination of an organization's propensity for failure. ^

Determinants of resource development strategies in nonprofit organizations: An analysis of children, youth and family services

This study is an exploratory analysis of an operational measure for resource development strategies, and an exploratory analysis of internal organizational contingencies influencing choices of these strategies in charitable nonprofit organizations. The study provides conceptual guidance for advancing understanding about resource development in the nonprofit sector. The statistical findings are, however, inconclusive without further rigorous examination. A three category typology based on organization technology is initially presented to define the strategies. Three dimensions of internal organizational contingencies explored represent organization identity, professional staff, and boards of directors. Based on relevant literature and key informant interviews, an original survey was administered by mail to a national sample of nonprofit organizations. The survey collected data on indicators of the proposed strategy types and selected contingencies. Factor analysis extracted two of the initial categories in the typology. The Building Resource Development Infrastructure Strategy encompasses information technology, personnel, legal structures, and policies facilitating fund development. The Building Resource Development Infrastructure Strategy encompasses the mission, service niche, and type of service delivery forming the basis for seeking financial support. Linear regressions with each strategy type as the dependent variable identified distinct and common contingencies which may partly explain choices of strategies. Discriminant analysis suggests the potential predictive accuracy of the contingencies. Follow-up case studies with survey respondents provide additional criteria for operationalizing future measures of resource development strategies, and support and expand the analysis on contingencies. The typology offers a beginning framework for defining alternative approaches to resource development, and for exploring organization capacity specific to each approach. Contingencies that may be integral components of organization capacity are funding, leadership frame, background and experience, staff and volunteer effort, board member support, and relationships in the external environment. Based on these findings, management questions are offered for nonprofit organization stakeholders to consider in planning for resource development. Lessons learned in designing and conducting this study are also provided to enhance future related research. ^

Improving publicly funded human services: Incorporating capacity building into the contracting relationship between Children's Services Councils and nonprofit organizations

This qualitative two-site case study examined the capacity building practices that Children’s Services Councils (CSCs), independent units of local government, provide to nonprofit organizations (NPOs) contracted to deliver human services. The contracting literature is replete with recommendations for government to provide capacity building to contracted NPOs, yet there is a dearth of scholarship on this topic. The study’s purpose was to increase the understanding of capacity building provided in a local government contracting setting. Data collection consisted primarily of in-depth interviews and focus groups with 73 staff from two CSCs and 28 contracted NPOs. Interview data were supplemented by participant observation and review of secondary data. The study analyzed capacity building needs, practices, influencing factors, and outcomes. The study identified NPO capacity building needs in: documentation and reporting, financial management, program monitoring and evaluation, participant recruitment and retention, and program quality. Additionally, sixteen different types of CSC capacity building practices were identified. Results indicated that three major factors impacted CSC capacity building: CSC capacity building goals, the relationship between the CSC and NPOs, and the level of NPO participation. Study results also provided insight into the dynamics of the CSC capacity building process, including unique problems, challenges, and opportunities as well as necessary resources. The results indicated that the CSCs’ relational contracting approach facilitated CSC capacity building and that CSC contract managers were central players in the process. The study provided evidence that local government agencies can serve as effective builders of NPO capacity. Additionally, results indicated that much of what is known about capacity building can be applied in this previously unstudied capacity building setting. Finally, the study laid the groundwork for future development of a model for capacity building in a local government contracting setting.

Public Service Motivation in Public and Nonprofit Service Providers: The Cases of Belarus and Poland

The work motivation construct is central to the theory and practice of many social science disciplines. Yet, due to the novelty of validated measures appropriate for a deep cross-national comparison, studies that contrast different administrative regimes remain scarce. This study represents an initial empirical effort to validate the Public Service Motivation (PSM) instrument proposed by Kim and colleagues (2013) in a previously unstudied context. The two former communist countries analyzed in this dissertation—Belarus and Poland— followed diametrically opposite development strategies: a fully decentralized administrative regime in Poland and a highly centralized regime in Belarus. The employees (n = 677) of public and nonprofit organizations in the border regions of Podlaskie Wojewodstwo (Poland) and Hrodna Voblasc (Belarus) are the subjects of study. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed three dimensions of public service motivation in the two regions: compassion, self-sacrifice, and attraction to public service. The statistical models tested in this dissertation suggest that nonprofit sector employees exhibit higher levels of PSM than their public sector counterparts. Nonprofit sector employees also reveal a similar set of values and work attitudes across the countries. Thus, the study concludes that in terms of PSM, employees of nonprofit organizations constitute a homogenous group that exists atop the administrative regimes. However, the findings propose significant differences between public sector agencies across the two countries. Contrary to expectations, data suggest that organization centralization in Poland is equal to—or for some items even higher than—that of Belarus. We can conclude that the absence of administrative decentralization of service provision in a country does not necessarily undermine decentralized practices within organizations. Further analysis reveals strong correlations between organization centralization and PSM for the Polish sample. Meanwhile, in Belarus, correlations between organization centralization items and PSM are weak and mostly insignificant. The analysis indicates other factors beyond organization centralization that significantly impact PSM in both sectors. PSM of the employees in the studied region is highly correlated with their participation in religious practices, political parties, or labor unions as well as location of their organization in a capital and type of social service provided.

The capacity challenges of nonprofit, community-based organizations

This mixed method case study explored the capacity challenges of neighbourhood based community centres related to the areas of governance and leadership, program delivery, financial management and human resources. The study involved the examination of three community centres with multi-mandates (i.e., provide programs and services to individuals from pre-school to seniors in the areas of social, educational, recreational and health) and utilized three phases of data collection: 1) surveys with board members; 2) focus groups with all boards and staff; and 3) document review which examined pertinent organizational policies and procedures. Questions were aimed at gaining an understanding of some of the challenges faced by staff and administrators of neighbourhood based community centres, as there a gap in the research in this particular area. Research findings identified a number of related challenges facing non-profit organizations specifically in the areas of funding and staffing and how these challenges impact both day to day operations and longer term sustainability. More research is needed with nonprofit organizations that have these broader mandates and diverse operational challenges, hence greater capacity building challenges.

Group Norms for Multi-Agent Organisations

Peer reviewed

Mesure de la performance dans les organisations de réadaptation en déficience physique

La présente thèse vise à évaluer le degré d’implantation et d’utilisation de systèmes de mesure de la performance (SMP) par les décideurs des organisations de réadaptation et à comprendre les facteurs contextuels ayant influencé leur implantation. Pour ce faire, une étude de cas multiples a été réalisée comprenant deux sources de données: des entrevues individuelles avec des cadres supérieurs des organisations de réadaptation du Québec et des documents organisationnels. Le cadre conceptuel Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research a été utilisé pour guider la collecte et l’analyse des données. Une analyse intra-cas ainsi qu’une analyse inter-cas ont été réalisées. Nos résultats montrent que le niveau de préparation organisationnelle à l’implantation d’un SMP était élevé et que les SMP ont été implantés avec succès et utilisés de plusieurs façons. Les organisations les ont utilisés de façon passive (comme outil d’information), de façon ciblée (pour tenter d’améliorer des domaines sous-performants) et de façon politique (comme outil de négociation auprès des autorités gouvernementales). Cette utilisation diversifiée des SMP est suscitée par l’interaction complexe de facteurs provenant du contexte interne propre à chaque organisation, des caractéristiques du SMP, du processus d’implantation appliqué et du contexte externe dans lequel évoluent ces organisations. Au niveau du contexte interne, l’engagement continu et le leadership de la haute direction ont été décisifs dans l’implantation du SMP de par leur influence sur l’identification du besoin d’un SMP, l’engagement des utilisateurs visés dans le projet, la priorité organisationnelle accordée au SMP ainsi que les ressources octroyées à son implantation, la qualité des communications et le climat d’apprentissage organisationnel. Toutefois, même si certains de ces facteurs, comme les ressources octroyées à l’implantation, la priorité organisationnelle du SMP et le climat d’apprentissage se sont révélés être des barrières à l’implantation, ultimement, ces barrières n’étaient pas suffisamment importantes pour entraver l’utilisation du SMP. Cette étude a également confirmé l’importance des caractéristiques du SMP, particulièrement la perception de qualité et d’utilité de l’information. Cependant, à elles seules, ces caractéristiques sont insuffisantes pour assurer le succès d’implantation. Cette analyse d’implantation a également révélé que, même si le processus d’implantation ne suit pas des étapes formelles, un plan de développement du SMP, la participation et l’engagement des décideurs ainsi que la désignation d’un responsable de projet ont tous facilité son implantation. Cependant, l’absence d’évaluation et de réflexion collective sur le processus d’implantation a limité le potentiel d’apprentissage organisationnel, un prérequis à l’amélioration de la performance. Quant au contexte externe, le soutien d’un organisme externe s’est avéré un facilitateur indispensable pour favoriser l’implantation de SMP par les organisations de réadaptation malgré l’absence de politiques et incitatifs gouvernementaux à cet effet. Cette étude contribue à accroître les connaissances sur les facteurs contextuels ainsi que sur leurs interactions dans l’utilisation d’innovations tels les SMP et confirme l’importance d’aborder l’analyse de l’implantation avec une perspective systémique.