Volunteer Management Practices during Challenging Economic Times

Nonprofit organizations rely upon volunteers to facilitate their missions of meeting critical community needs. Since 2006, on average, 61.9 million Americans or 26.4 percent of the adult population volunteered every year through organizations delivering 8.1 billion hours of service worth approximately $162 billion to America’s communities (Bureau of Labor Statistics 2012; Corporation for National and Community Service 2010). Most recent data released by The Bureau of Labor in 2013 further suggest between September 2011 and September 2012 approximately 64.5 million people volunteered via an organization at least once. In light of high unemployment, donor fatigue, and slow economic growth, it is also anticipated that nonprofit reliance on volunteers will continue to increase (Salamon and Spence 2009). As cautioned by Doherty and Mayer (2003) when revenue sources are compromised as a result of an ailing economy, continued devolution, and severe budget cuts at all levels of government, nonprofits will increasingly be compelled to cope in new ways to achieve their missions. Therefore, as nonprofit organizations continue to face compromised revenue sources due to severe federal funding cuts and reduced donor support, managers will be compelled more than ever before to utilize their volunteers with fewer resources. However, the words of Lipsky and Smith (1989/90) and again by Brudney and Duncombe (1992) still ring true today: volunteers are not free, nor are nonprofit managers always equipped to make the most of their volunteers (Urban Institute 2004; Yanay and Yanay 2008). Furthering the findings of prior research (Levine and D’Agostino 2012), the purpose of this study is to identify the specific practices that emerge among volunteer managers in human service organizations during challenging economic times. Given that volunteer management encompasses a range of complex activities, such as recruiting, coordinating, leading, supporting, administering and organizing volunteers as well as strategic oversight and management of volunteer programs this study introduces complexity theory as a lens for understanding volunteer management capacity during challenging economic times. Although business (Curley 2012) and legal studies (Hornstein 2005) have utilized complexity as a guiding theory, the framework used in this study is a unique and important contribution to the nonprofit volunteer management literature. This study incorporates complexity theory as a means to frame a model of volunteer management that offers nonprofit chief executives, managers and funders a new perspective on how to successfully cope with volunteers and strengthen capacity during these challenging times. First, literature reviewing nonprofit and volunteer management capacity building is examined. The paper then introduces complexity theory as a basis for understanding volunteer management capacity. We then proceed with the methods section and discussion of key findings. We conclude with study limitations and areas for future research

A SWOT model of the challenges and benefits of volunteer involvement in US non-profit organisations during times of fiscal stress

As a result of the current fiscal crisis, the US Federal Government is calling on non-profit organisations and communities across the country to contribute their service through volunteering. This study uses qualitative data retrieved from a purposive sample of New York City non-profit administrators to determine the challenges and benefits of volunteer involvement in US non-profit organisations during the economic downturn that began in 2008. Findings conclude that although US Federal Government initiatives, including $50 million of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act allocated to the strengthening communities fund provided non-profits the opportunity to draw on an influx of a highly skilled pool of volunteers, many non-profits remain underfunded, understaffed and unequipped to make the most of those who are looking to serve

Gender in Negotiation: Preparing Public Administrators for the 21st Century Workplace

This exploratory study questions whether Master of Public Administration programs prepare future public administrators to how gender plays out in negotiations that occur in organizations. Negotiated Order and Second-Generation Bias perspectives provide the theoretical basis to understand that negotiations in organizations may privilege masculine practices. In light of this gender leaning, the classroom is a necessary incubator for understanding gender differences in negotiation. Curricula and survey response data retrieved from NASPAA accredited MPA programs suggest that gender in negotiation is not being addressed in the MPA classroom. Public managers must negotiate for scarce organizational resources including salary, promotion, and other workplace capital. Recognizing that gender in negotiation remains hidden under the shadow of second-generation bias is the first step to the success of future public administrators. We must begin to educate our future public managers with a distinctive negotiation skillset as they navigate the 21st century workplace

The career progression of women in state government agencies

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to empirically examine the impact of the utilization of organizational practices on the career progression of women to executive positions in state-level government organizations in the USA. Design/methodology/approach – The design included an online survey instrument sent to a purposive sample of 600 female administrative agency executives in 50 states. A standard multilinear regression model tests the predictive power of three composite explanatory utilization variables on the dependent variable, career progression of women to upper level management. The composite predictor variables are: utilization of work/family practices; utilization of diversity practices; and utilization of promotional practices. Findings – Contrary to expectations, the relationship between career progression of women and family-friendly utilization does not appear to be statistically significant. However, the time it takes respondents who utilized family-friendly practices in their organizations to reach upper-level management decreased by 0.037 years. And contrary to expectations, women who utilize promotion practices are more likely to achieve executive-level status, even though it does not necessarily take them less time to do so. Originality/value – This research is distinct from previous studies in that it considers the relationship between the utilization of practices and women’s attainment of executive-level positions

A Global Comparison of Women in the Workforce: Moving toward Innovative Solutions

Women\u27s participation in the labor force in most countries around the world has increased over recent decades. However, despite their increasing presence in the workplace, women continue to hit glass ceilings and glass walls that prevent their equal participation in decision-making positions in the private sector and in public administration. The purpose of this chapter is to provide a global comparison of women in the labor force, with a specific focus on the public sector workforce, and to identify innovative solutions to address the continuing gender gap. The chapter begins with an overview of the issue. The next two sections present an historical perspective of women in the workforce in the US and globally. This is followed by a discussion of legislative initiatives that have been taken to improve access to women seeking to participate in the labor force. The chapter concludes with a look at innovative approaches adopted to break down workplace barriers to women

Gender Differences in the Leadership Styles of MPA Directors

A growing body of literature has documented leadership styles by gender. This study examines if directors of Master of Public Administration (MPA) programs accredited by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration exhibit gender differences in leadership styles. Such differences may affect the implementation of public administration and how effective MPA directors are in achieving positive outcomes. Using a mixed methods approach—specifically, exploratory sequential design utilizing qualitative data and analysis, followed by a quantitative survey—we find that there are some gendered differences among public administration directors. In particular, we find that women directors are significantly more likely than their male counterparts to exhibit traits that resemble transformational leaders. However, we also find that male and female directors converge in terms of other styles of leadership

A Conceptual Content Analysis of 75 Years of Diversity Research in Public Administration

Diversity is an important facet of public administration, thus it is important to take stock and examine how the discipline has evolved in response to questions of representative democracy, social equity, and diversity. This article assesses the state-of-the-field by addressing the following question: How has research on diversity in the field of public administration progressed over time? Specifically, we seek to examine how the focus of diversity has transformed over time and the way the field has responded to half a century of legislation and policies aimed at both promoting equality and embracing difference. We utilize a conceptual content analysis approach to examine articles published on diversity in seven key public administration journals since 1940. The implications of this study are of great importance given that diversity in the workplace is a central issue for modern public management

Characterization of Women and Leadership in Public Administration and Beyond

Women were 30% of the labor force in 1950 and 48.6% of the workforce today. Women are also currently outpacing men in the attainment of college degrees – 36% of women aged between 25- 29 years have a bachelor’s degree compared to 28% of males in the same age group and have surpassed men in college graduation rates. Despite these growing numbers, women have yet to reach a critical mass in leadership positions. Women represent less than 5% of CEOs in Fortune 500 companies. Out of 195 state heads around the world, only 15 are currently women. Less than 20% of members of the US Congress are women, and women hold only 21% of US Senate seats. Even in the nonprofit world where more than 75% of all workers and volunteers are women, only 45% of women will go on to secure a top position and only 21% of these CEOs will have access to budgets of $25 million or more (Renock, 2017). Certainly, women have come a long way since first gaining voting rights in 1920. However, we live in interesting times, and challenges remain. Women continue to be stereotyped as unfit for certain jobs because of biological reasons. Women continue to be subject to issues of the glass ceiling and glass cliffs, and inequities persist as women earn 77 cents to a dollar when compared with their male counterparts. Clearly, we have not achieved gender parity in the workplace. Moreover, leadership continues to be viewed as a masculine trait (Eagly & Karau, 2002). The “think manager think male” paradigm is dominant in organizations, continuing to pose challenges for women who aspire to or are currently in leadership roles (Ryan et al., 2016). Stivers (1993) argued that “these images not only have masculine features but help to keep in place or bestow political and economic privileges on the bearers of culturally masculine qualities at the expense of those who display culturally feminine ones” (p. 84). Indeed, workplaces in the public sector remain gendered (Connell, 2006; Guy & Newman, 2004; Riccucci, 2009; Sabharwal, 2015) challenging the neutrality of public administration. Although Stivers’ work on gender images in 1993 laid the foundation for feminist theorists in public administration, the questions posed in this chapter are: What are some of the challenges women leaders in public administration encounter? What are the gender differences that persist in the field? The chapter will also discuss the implications of research in gender and leadership on scholarship and practice of public administration. Thus, we provide a detailed narrative based on the characterization of women and leadership in the public administration literature and beyond

Inclusive Work Practices: Turnover Intentions Among LGBT Employees of the U.S. Federal Government

The federal government lags behind in progressive civil rights policies in regard to universal workplace antidiscrimination laws for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Americans. The slow progress matters to inclusionary workplace practices and the theory and practice of public administration generally, as recognition of LGBT rights and protection are constitutive of representative bureaucracy and promoting social equity. This study examines the turnover intention rates of self-identified LGBT employees in the U.S. federal government. Using the Office of Personnel Management’s inclusion quotient (IQ), and 2015 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS), we identify links in the relationships between workplace inclusion and turnover outcomes among LGBT individuals. We also examine the impact of agency type on LGBT turnover rates based on Lowi’s agency classification type. Key findings suggest that LGBT employees express higher turnover intentions than those that identify as heterosexuals/straight, and LGBT employees who perceive their agencies as redistributive or communal are less likely to experience turnover intentions. However, an open and supportive workplace environment had a positive impact on turnover, suggesting that to implement effective structural change in an organization’s culture of inclusion, public sector managers must do more than merely “talk the talk.” This finding is also suggestive of LGBT employees’ desire to avoid the stigma of being LGBT and hide their identities. Institutions must heed the invisible and visible identities of their employees to be truly inclusive. Workplace practices that acknowledge the invisible and visible identities of their employees are a positive step toward real workplace inclusion