Pursuing the mission of third sector organizations in the context of interorganizational networks: implications to strategy

Third Sector Organizations (TSOs) face multiple sources of complexity in the pursuit of their missions. These include the institutional, problem, strategic, and operational complexities explored in this paper. There are increasing demands on TSOs to fill the gaps in social provision arising as sections of society face ever more difficult economic and financial conditions. However, the TSOs themselves are also faced with growing challenges, particularly in terms of access to resources. Funding sources have less available to disperse due to the demands of austerity, and the competition among TSOs for that diminishing pool of resources is increasing. The increasing complexity faced by TSOs has demanded new forms of cooperation and interorganizational coordination. It is in the context of multiple networks of relationships, both serendipitous and goal-directed, that this paper explores a systems approach to mission pursuit. Based on an empirical study with twenty-three TSOs belonging to an interorganizational network, we explore not only the environmental interconnectedness and complexity they face, but also the role of interorganizational relationships within the boundaries of the network for mission pursuit. The findings suggest that these TSOs face multiple enablers and barriers in the pursuit of their missions, related to a set of interorganizational relationships both within and outside the borders of the goal-directed network. The mechanisms of competition and cooperation detected are also explored.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Reporting on sustainable operations by third sector organizations: a signaling approach

Awareness of (un)sustainable operations is increasingly researched in the for-profit and government sectors, but little is known about the third sector. Still, these not-for-profit organizations are challenged by progressive accountability requirements and increasingly they seem to be responding to these demands through sustainability reporting. In this paper, we explore sustainability reporting by third sector organizations (TSOs) in the context of signalling theory; a useful theoretical lens to explore organizational reports as a signal to stakeholders. Using a document analysis, we explore twenty-three TSOs to discover what they are signalling, to whom, and whether different organizations send different messages.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Corporate responsibility in the fast fashion industry how media pressure affected corporate disclosure following the collapse of Rana Plaza

The concept behind fast fashion is that of quickly-produced, low-priced, and short-lived fashion items and, for many, it constitutes the opposite of sustaina-bility. The collapse of the Rana Plaza garment factory in 2013 generated greater focus on corporate social responsibility (CSR) issues within the fast fashion in-dustry and raised important questions about whether the industry can be sus-tainable altogether. This research aims to explore the reasons for which compa-nies engage in CSR initiatives and whether global news media attention has an effect on companies CSR disclosure and initiatives. The study draws upon le-gitimacy theory and media agenda setting theory to explore the link between CSR disclosure and news coverage. The research shows that the CSR disclo-sures varied according to the companies CSR profiles, and that media cover-age differed according to the companies CSR initiatives and proactivity in re-lation to the collapse. This paper contributes to the literature by qualitatively exploring the relationship between media attention and corporate disclosure in the ready-made garment industry after a disaster.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Enhancing social impacts of third sector organizations amid the Covid-19 pandemic

The effectiveness achieved by Third Sector Organizations (TSOs) is directly linked to goals based on their missions and results generated by their actions, which can positively or negatively impact their beneficiaries. Even in normal situations, there is already a difficulty in gathering resources to maintain their operations. The advent of the Covid-19 pandemic tends to worsen this situation depending on their social innovation and resilience capacities. From such an issue, the present study identifies strategies and lessons learned by Portuguese and Brazilian TSOs that were affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Moreover, an assessment is made on what they did to maximize the positive social impacts and minimize the negative ones, considering the crisis management theory. Then, a qualitative phenomenological-type exploratory research was conducted, whose data was collected primarily from in-depth interviews and secondarily from documents published in the TSOs’ websites. The data collected from thirty-two Portuguese and Brazilian TSOs were assessed by means of content analysis, based on existing theory and on new subjects arisen from the reported experiences. The results have shown that, regardless the institutional model, most of them were not prepared to deal with that crisis. Besides, they had been reacting as the effects were underway, seeking to maximize the positive social impacts and to minimize the negative ones. Additionally, it is highlighted the importance of a flexible management to adapting to a new challenge in order to achieve different priority goals and to meet the main beneficiaries’ needs during the pandemic. Although in an early-stage research, interesting results have already been found, which can lead to contributions to management, governance, leadership, strategy, social innovation, sustainability and, ultimately, to the design of a crisis management model for TSOs. This research also calls for complementary future works.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Performance evaluation of Brazilian social organizations according to the best international practices

Brazil, social organizations demonstrate the results generated to the various beneficiaries by measuring their performances based on the objectives, goals and indicators agreed with their supervisory bodies. Therefore, the adoption of best performance evaluation practices is important to ensure adherence to legal and regulatory standards and to support decision making in approving their annual accounts in order to maintain their qualifications and legitimize themselves for the receipt of new investments and financing. Thus, the objective of this research is to demonstrate if the forms of performance measurement used by the social organizations linked to the Ministry of Education in Brazil adhere to the best international practices. In this way, this work presents contributions by establishing a theoretical reference for performance measurement and comparing it with the methodologies applied in Brazil, by conducting a qualitative exploratory research based on multiple case studies in which the secondary data obtained were treated in the form of content analysis. The results showed that the performance evaluation practices adopted by the analyzed institutions do not adhere to international benchmarking. Additionally, this research points out ways to evolve the methodology currently adopted and brings up other fragilities related to transparency, control and supervision by the supervising Ministry.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Performance evaluation of Brazilian social organizations according to the best international practices

In Brazil, social organizations demonstrate the results generated to the various beneficiaries by measuring their performances based on the objectives, goals and indicators agreed with their supervisory bodies. Therefore, the adoption of best performance evaluation practices is important to ensure adherence to legal and regulatory standards and to support decision making in approving their annual accounts in order to maintain their qualifications and legitimize themselves for the receipt of new investments and financing. Thus, the objective of this research is to demonstrate if the forms of performance measurement used by the social organizations linked to the Ministry of Education in Brazil adhere to the best international practices. In this way, this work presents contributions by establishing a theoretical reference for performance measurement and comparing it with the methodologies applied in Brazil, by conducting a qualitative exploratory research based on multiple case studies in which the secondary data obtained were treated in the form of content analysis. The results showed that the performance evaluation practices adopted by the analyzed institutions do not adhere to international benchmark. Additionally, this research points out ways to evolve the methodology currently adopted and brings up other fragility related to transparency, control and supervision by the supervising Ministry.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

O sistema de gestão ambiental do ISCTE-IUL: um modelo de integração-qualidade-sustentabilidade

O artigo pretende partilhar a experiência do ISCTE - Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL) na integração da sustentabilidade na cultura de qualidade. O ISCTE-IUL assumiu o compromisso com a Qualidade enquanto pilar do seu desenvolvimento estratégico, materializando-se num Sistema Interno de Garantia da Qualidade (SIGQ-IUL). Por seu lado, a sustentabilidade institucional – nas dimensões ambiental, social e económica – constitui também uma aposta estratégica e transversal que tem vindo a ser implementada nas práticas de gestão da instituição, no ensino, na investigação e na extensão universitária. O ISCTE-IUL é certificado de acordo com a Norma Portuguesa ISO 9001 desde 2008. O projeto da Sustentabilidade foi iniciado em 2016 e envolve um conjunto de ações para a melhoria do desempenho sustentável da instituição, das quais se destacam a implementação do Sistema de Gestão Ambiental (SGA) do ISCTE-IUL e a obtenção da respetiva certificação em 2018. Considerando a abrangência do SIGQ-IUL, um primeiro desafio prendia-se com o modelo previsto para a integração da Sustentabilidade, tendo sido adotada uma integração com relativa autonomia. Discutimos as implicações que o SGA colocou a diferentes níveis, com especial destaque para a necessidade de assumir a Sustentabilidade enquanto fator-chave da estratégia e da prática diária da Instituição, desde logo ao nível do campus, onde se procura a gestão eficiente dos recursos e a diminuição dos impactes ambientais negativos. Por outro lado, todo este processo tem-se traduzido em mais uma experiência de partilha, envolvimento e aprendizagem muito positivos para o ISCTE-IUL, com um contributo relevante para a melhoria da qualidade. A comunicação centra-se em dois aspetos: (i) a apresentação do modelo de integração da Sustentabilidade no SIGQ-IUL e (ii) o desenho e a implementação do SGA. Por último, uma nota conclusiva, resumindo os desafios particulares da Gestão da Sustentabilidade no ISCTE-IUL que presidem à conceção do Sistema de Gestão Ambiental.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Battling the devolution in the research on corporate philanthropy

The conceptual literature increasingly portrays corporate philanthropy (CP) as an old-fashioned and ineffective operationalization of a firm’s corporate social responsibility. In contrast, empirical research indicates that corporations of all sizes, and both in developed and emerging economies, actively practice CP. This disadvantaged status of the concept, and research, on CP, complicates the advancement of our knowledge about the topic. In a systematic review of the literature containing 122 journal articles on CP, we show that this business practice is loaded with unique characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses, and both conceptual and practical challenges that require renewed attention. We identify six interrelated but distinctive research themes in the literature: concept, motives, determinants, practices, business outcomes, and social outcomes. Dividing the literature on CP into six research themes creates an insightful comprehensive map of this intellectual terrain. Moreover, we distinguish among the level at which CP is analyzed: individual, organizational, institutional, or any combination of these levels. The review reveals significant gaps in the knowledge on CP. Most importantly we find that the conceptualization is limited, the research is mostly quantitative, the effects of CP on society are severely under-researched, and there is a lack of multilevel analyses. A detailed future research agenda is offered, including specific suggestions for research designs and measurements.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio