A benchmarking model for measuring the efficiency of a humanitarian aid program: a case study of an international NGO

This article presents a benchmarking model for measuring the efficiency of organizations that provide humanitarian aid. The model was developed and implemented in the framework of a large international aid program. The model is based on measuring the labor productivity of each organization that provides services and comparing it to the benchmark. Two main results came out from the estimation of the model: (a) there were positive economies of scale in the program meaning that larger organizations were inherently more efficient than smaller ones; (b) the source of the inefficiency was identified, not in the administrative part of the organization, but rather in the programmatic part.NGO; efficiency; cost-effectiveness; productivity

Guidelines for the preparation of budgets in not-for-profit organizations

In the absence of clear and acceptable measures for outcomes, the budget is probably the most important managerial tool for nonprofits. Nevertheless many nonprofits operate without a budget at all, or with a limited version of a budget that is used solely for fundraising with no managerial role. The purpose of this paper is to present guidelines for the preparation of budgets that can serve all the aspects of the organization's activity. More specifically the budget should provide the organization's management with tools for decision making, risk management, measuring efficiency and the ability to present a cleat picture of the organization's activities to internal and external stakeholders. The adoption of these guidelines may benefit both nonprofits and their donors. Nonprofits will be able to improve the way they manage their programs while donors will be able to get a clearer picture of the organization and to simplify their procedures for grant applications.nonprofits; management; budget; guide

SEARCHING FOR A RAINFALL CYCLE IN THE SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC

Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Enterprise creation & anti-commons in developing economies: evidence from World Bank doing business data

Abstract: This paper looks at the tragedy of anti-commons and its implications on enterprise creation in developing economies. The most important features of the anti-commons are captured under a simplified theoretical economic model. The empirical part uses the data from “Doing Business” of the World Bank, to test for the high costs implied by scattered and fragmented decisions related to enterprise creation in developing economies. The attained results show the prevalence of anti-commons in relation to the development of new enterprises in developing economies relative to more developed countries. This points out how anti-commons can limit development and market economies through reducing business and enterprise creation and expansion. Awareness and development of appropriate remedies to anti-commons are among the means to ensure higher economic and social achievements.Anti-commons, Enterprise Creation, Licensing and Costs

Transforming Uncertainties into Risks and Poverty Alleviation: Lessons Learnt from the Successful Rescuing of Miners in Chile

Abstract: The objective of this paper is to suggest how the Chilean model used to rescue the 33 miners trapped underground, can be used to accelerate the development of new means for poverty alleviation mainly in developing economies. For that, the Chilean model is described and analyzed within the framework of uncertainty and risk with emphasis on the success of all operations, under time constraints. The attained results underline that this “point in time” process can be used to extract poor individuals and households and sustain their inclusion in normal economic and social activities. But, this is conditioned on the development of further participative research-actions, innovations and monitoring processes applied to multiple small scales, well localized and targeted poverty alleviation projectsUncertainty, risks, miners, Chili, poverty alleviation