Building Capacity in Nonprofit Organizations

Offers a capacity building model that is based on a review of civil society, sustainable development, and organizational management literature. Reviews effective capacity building programs sponsored or operated by foundations. Includes recommendations

Politicized Civil Society in Bangladesh: Case Study Analyses

Although civil society in Bangladesh is recognized for its vibrant performance in social development, it is often criticized for its inability to ensure good governance and democracy. The aim of this paper is to point out the reasons for this failure of civil society. Through performing case studies upon five civil society organizations representing different sector and level of the civil society, the paper concludes that civil society organizations in Bangladesh are often politicized and co-opted by different political parties. In a typical scenario, civil society can provide a counterbalance or even monitor the state both at the national and local level. However, in Bangladesh, often the civil society organizations have compromised their autonomy and politicized themselves to certain political parties or political block. In such a vulnerable position, civil society can hardly play its expected role to ensure good governance and strengthen democracy

The Estonian organizations - the subjects of transformation

Estonia stayed fifty years under the communist regime. This paper explores the transformation of Estonian organizations within the framework of the Leavitt's model of change where the process is analyzed from the perspective of four organizational elements: people, organizational goals, structure, and technology. In respect with the people the role of individuals is emphasized as well as the polarization of mindsets is discussed. The new era forced to clarify the organizational task because of market economy. The organizational structure does not change as fast as the other elements do and hierarchy considered being important. The formalization tactics (personnel selection and training) have gained new meaning in the process of transformation of organizations. The technology has varied due to the twofold possibilities- advantage to introduce the new informational technology and the usage of the old fashion machinery. Change of the society led to the change of organizations, which had the transformational nature. There was shown that all the elements of the organizations had the pressure to find new forms of existence

Civil Society and International Organizations: A Liberal Framework for Global Governance

An earlier draft of this Article was presented at a faculty workshop at the University of Illinois College of Law. (Author\u27s Manuscript, March 2005) This analysis of how civil society can contribute to a better system of global governance draws on the political philosophy of civil society and the comparative law of democracy. Its first part describes the civil society phenomenon in three different international organizations: the World Bank, the World Trade Organization, and the European Union. Part Two puts forward the moral principle upon which my argument rests: liberal democracy. The next part sets the stage for the discussion of contemporary liberal theories of civil society by reviewing the history of the concept. Part Four critically examines the four dominant theories of citizen associations and their contribution to the good life in democratic societies. These theories serve as the basis for evaluating the pro-civil society reforms that have been made to date in international organizations and for suggesting additional areas of improvement. Yet the review of the literature also demonstrates, somewhat surprisingly, that the political philosophers and the civil society activists are talking past one another: the theory does not address head-on the question whether associations should be represented in public decisionmaking. For civil society theory, the democratizing potential of civil society lies in collective life outside the state. Thus, Part Five explores the comparative law of contemporary democracies and shows that interest and identity groups can participate in public life in at least three different ways: pluralism, corporatism, and republicanism. The concluding section returns to the institutional reform of international organizations. In view of the premises and ideals that inform different cultures of democracy and the realities of politics in the international realm, I argue that the public law of corporatism is the most appropriate for today\u27s international organizations

Commercial heads, social hearts? Organizational changes and effects of civil society organizations becoming more business-like: a literature review

A growing body of literature points at the increasing hybridization of civil society organizations (CSOs) by incorporating entrepreneurial practices, values and ideas, but also focuses on the presumed risks of non-profits becoming more ‘business-like’. The central question to this debate is whether non-profit organizations are able to adopt for-profit practices and yet perform their social mission. Touching upon the larger issue of welfare governance, the hybridization of civil society organizations is a rather politicised issue drawing both public and academic criticism ranging from cautious warnings to wholehearted opposition. However, in this – often normative – discussion, the impact of becoming business-like on the organizational level tends to be overlooked. The distinction between non-profit and business-like concepts are only clearly distinguished in terms of goals, i.e. on the level of mission and strategy, in contrast to governance arrangements and management practices. Although much of the non-profit management literature aims to support non-profit managers, research on how ‘becoming business-like’ is practically implemented in the non-profit context as well as the perceived effects is fragmentary of nature and understudied. A more fine-grained analysis is further complicated by a multitude of overlapping yet distinct concepts. Based on a systematic study of the international literature, this paper addresses this lacuna by mapping the internal changes and effects as a result of a more ‘business-like’ manner of organization within non-profits over the last 25 years as well as by providing a clear conceptual outline. The focus is on the (re-)definition of civil society organizations’ missions and strategies, on changing governance arrangements and shifting management practice

Boards of Directors and Governance Systems: A Practical Guide for Non-Governmental Organizations

This guide was originally released in Spanish in 2014, as a practical tool for strengthening boards of directors of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Latin America. It was born out of a fruitless search and recurring need for culturally and linguistically adapted tools on board development for Latin American organizations. In many cases in the region, board development of civil society organizations is still quite incipient and looks entirely different than in the United States, Western Europe and other contexts. The original version was written mindful of the reality of Latin American organizations, drawing on the successful experiences of some, and the needs and challenges they have identified. Shortly after its release, we began to receive requests for a version in English. After conversations with colleagues in other regions, we understood that the approach and tools might be useful for organizations in other parts of the world

Catalysts for Change: Three Case Studies of Quality Education Worldwide

Public education is the cornerstone of democracy and is absolutely fundamental to a democratic, civil and prosperous society. Beyond the boundaries of the United States, other countries are working to provide quality education to their children through civil society institutions. In particular, there are three extraordinary organizations in Peru, Mexico and the Philippines dedicated to making quality education available to their youth. These PEN members are the subjects of the studies contained within Catalysts for Change

Civil society, public action and accountability in Africa

This paper examines the potential role of civil society action in increasing state accountability for development in Sub-Saharan Africa. It further develops the analytical framework of the World Development Report 2004 on accountability relationships, to emphasize the underlying political economy drivers of accountability and implications for how civil society is constituted and functions. It argues on this basis that the most important domain for improving accountability is through the political relations between citizens, civil society, and state leadership. The evidence broadly suggests that when higher-level political leadership provides sufficient or appropriate powers for citizen participation in holding within-state agencies or frontline providers accountable, there is frequently positive impact on outcomes. However, the big question remaining for such types of interventions is how to improve the incentives of higher-level leadership to pursue appropriate policy design and implementation. The paper argues that there is substantial scope for greater efforts in this domain, including through the support of external aid agencies. Such efforts and support should, however, build on existing political and civil society structures (rather than transplanting"best practice"” initiatives from elsewhere), and be structured for careful monitoring and assessment of impact.Public Sector Corruption&Anticorruption Measures,Parliamentary Government,Social Accountability,Civil Society,ICT Policy and Strategies

Accountability in Complex Organizations: World Bank Responses to Civil Society

Civil society actors have been pushing for greater accountability of the World Bank for at least three decades. This paper outlines the range of accountability mechanisms currently in place at the World Bank along four basic levels: (1) staff, (2) project, (3) policy, and (4) board governance. We argue that civil society organizations have been influential in pushing for greater accountability at the project and policy levels, particularly through the establishment and enforcement of social and environmental safeguards and complaint and response mechanisms. But they have been much less successful in changing staff incentives for accountability to affected communities, or in improving board accountability through greater transparency in decision making, more representative vote allocation, or better parliamentary scrutiny. In other words, although civil society efforts have led to some gains in accountability with respect to Bank policies and projects, the deeper structural features of the institution - the incentives staff face and how the institution is governed- remain largely unchanged.