‘Scaling‐up’ in Emergencies: British NGOs after Hurricane Mitch

Abstract

This article examines research on NGO 'scaling-up' in a disaster context and links it to a broader discussion on whether scaling-up is a useful concept for understanding NGO processes in an emergency. Using concepts of scaling-up from development literature, research findings from a study of the responses of British NGOs to Hurricane Mitch in Central America are presented. The article assesses the extent and type of scaling-up that occurred, constraints faced by the agencies and the impact of scaling-up on support to partners. Broader issues relating to scaling-up post-Mitch are also explored. The conclusion suggests that while the concept of scaling-up is useful, the tendency for its use to refer to organisational growth has limited a wider understanding and evaluation of the role of Northern NGOs in humanitarian crises.

Scaling Social Enterprises - A Theoretically Grounded Framework

“…Hynes 2009, Jenkins et al (2010), LaFrance et al (2006), Lister (2001), Mulgan et al (2007), Robinson (1992), Sezgi and Mair (2010), Sherman (2007), Stone Foundation (2009), Taylor, Dees, & Emerson (2002), Trelstadt and Katz (2011), and van Oudenhoven and Wazir (n.d.). Generally, social enterprises are required more and more to act in a business-like manner (for example goal setting, monitoring, evaluating, reporting, and budgeting), so the adoption of management competence for social enterprises is particularly important (Bull & Crompton, 2006).…”

“…In the resourcing cluster we find key drivers discussed in almost every publication that investigates them in the context of scaling social impact. The cluster of "networks and supporters to obtain resources" contains key drivers discussed in Bloom and Chatterji (2009), Bloom and Smith (2010), Bradach (2003), Datar et al (2010), DeJong (2003, Grant and Crutchfield (2007), Harris (2010), Hynes (2009), Lister (2001), Robinson (1992), Sherman (2006), Stone Foundation (2009), Taylor et al (2002), Trelstad and Katz (2011), and van Oudenhoven and Wazir (n.d.). Because the scaling of social impact implies activities and efforts in addition to the continual operations of the social enterprise, pursuit of these additional activities requires the "right" amounts of the "right" resources, which the operational model does not necessarily provide (e.g., Hassel & Steiner, 2000).…”

Improving the capacity to respond: examining the experiences of short‐term tsunami relief staff

“…Another study similar to the research undertaken for this paper discusses the organisational responses of British NGOs in response to the humanitarian crisis caused by Hurricane Mitch in Central America in 1998 (Lister, 2001). The research was based on 40 interviews with UK, regional and country office staff and the staff of partner organisations in Honduras, Nicaragua and Guatemala and focused on the initial rehabilitation period roughly 2 months after the onset of the acute emergency.…”

“…one has to recognise that we are going into a completely different culture, different sensitivities have to be followed and to be aware of those sensitivities, cultural protocols, and just the expectations, the tensions, the social political expectations. (12) Fawcett (2003) found that staff recruitment is central to successful project outcomes (also see Lister, 2001). Consideration of the ability of prospective staff to handle potentially stressful situations must be undertaken.…”

The nature and characteristics of Japanese NGOs in international disaster response

“…There is no one-size-fits-all solution, and every event is unique with regard to coordination needs (Coppola, 2015). The active discussions of the coordination efforts had started based on a lesson from the Armenian earthquake in 1988 and other specific contexts include the absence of a partnership among stakeholders in Bangladesh (Kahn and Rahman, 2007) and the lack of coordination among British NGOs responding to Hurricane Mitch (Lister, 2001). Lack of coordination is a lesson learned in every disaster inside and outside of Japan, especially when the scale of a disaster is huge.…”