Strategic Responses to Resource Dependence Among Transnational NGOs Registered in the United States

Mitchell, G. E.

doi:10.1007/s11266-012-9329-2

Cited by 92 publications

(112 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…The literature on the high dependence of NGOs on foreign donors is well documented (Mitchell 2014;Kumi 2017a). As several studies have pointed out, there are enormous risks and perils of the over-reliance on foreign donor aid (AbouAssi 2013; Banks et al 2015).…”

Section: Discussion and Implications For Civil Society In Other Contextsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Studies on resource dependency further show how organisations do not passively comply with conditions in their external environment; instead, they try to manage their dependence by adopting several strategies in order to influence their demand for resources with the aim of becoming autonomous or independent (Oliver 1991;Elbers and Arts 2011;Mitchell 2014). Resource dependency theory, therefore, aligns with a range of perspectives on how NGOs obtain resources from their external environment and the exercise of control by donors over NGOs because of their resource dependence.…”

Section: Resource Dependency Theory and Ngos' Strategic Responsesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Facing the Bullet? Non-Governmental Organisations’ (NGOs’) Responses to the Changing Aid Landscape in Ghana

Arhin

Kumi

Adam³

2018

Voluntas

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There is growing evidence suggesting that nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) in lower-middle-income countries and emerging economies are facing challenges about their sustainability due to changing aid patterns for development. While the changing development context and the challenges posed to NGOs are increasingly receiving research attention, an understanding of how organisations are responding remains very limited. This article draws on 65 qualitative interviews and presents findings about how NGOs in Ghana, West Africa, are responding to the emerging concerns about their sustainability in the context of the changing aid landscape. Findings suggest that NGOs in Ghana are combining at least six main strategies to attain sustainability. We have categorised these as: (1) eggs-in-multiple-baskets; (2) costcutting; (3) strength-in-numbers; (4) security-under-partnership; (5) credibility-building; and (6) visibility-enhancing strategies.

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Section: Discussion and Implications For Civil Society In Other Contextsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resource Dependency Theory and Ngos' Strategic Responsesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Facing the Bullet? Non-Governmental Organisations’ (NGOs’) Responses to the Changing Aid Landscape in Ghana

Arhin

Kumi

Adam³

2018

Voluntas

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“…They then face external control by other organizations coexisting in the shared environment, especially when they can no longer depend on this environment (Pfeffer and Salancik 1978). However, Mitchell (2012) proposes that NGOs are important parts of the civil society sector and their autonomy vis-à-vis donor organizations is vital.…”

Section: Resource Dependence and Strategic Responses: A Literature Rementioning

confidence: 99%

“…This shortfall may be due to its overemphasis of the roles of the external environment, its underappreciation of NGO autonomy and the strategic capacity of NGOs in responding to their environment in the real world (Gerstbauer 2010;Mitchell 2012). To address resource dependence, recent research indicates that diversification is the most common strategic response among NGOs (Mitchell 2012). Davis and Cobb (2010) revisiting RDT suggest that ''if dependence comes from relying on a sole-source supplier, then an obvious solution is to find and maintain alternatives'' (p. 24).…”

Section: Resource Dependence and Strategic Responses: A Literature Rementioning

confidence: 99%

“…The shortcomings in the current literature on resource dependence and strategic responses is that it mainly focuses on either for-profit firms in general (Casciaro and Piskorski 2005) or nonprofit organizations in developed countries, in particular in the Western world (Batley 2011;Froelich 1999;Mitchell 2012). NGOs in developed countries receive funding from other Western sources, often located in their own country.…”

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Resource Dependence and Effects of Funding Diversification Strategies Among NGOs in Cambodia

Khieng

Dahles

2014

Voluntas

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This article assesses how strategies applied by Cambodian NGOs to reduce their dependence on external resources affect the sustainability of their mission, program and funding. At the empirical level, the findings suggest that NGO dependence on foreign aid has mixed effects on the organizations such as unpredictability of funding, goal displacement, reduced organizational autonomy, and top-down accountability. Funding from commercial activities is more predictable and potentially promotes bottom-up accountability and increases organizational autonomy but may conflict with the mission-drift of NGOs. At the theoretical level, this article contributes to resource dependence theory by introducing a perspective from developing countries, which implies large power differentials between international funding agencies and receiving local NGOs. The strategic responses employed by local NGO leaders to reduce external resource dependence entail a paradigm shift from external control to local embeddedness and increased autonomy. The findings have important policy implications regarding the regulation of NGO-related and unrelated business activities.Résumé Cet article évalue comment les stratégies mises en oeuvre par les ONG cambodgiennes pour réduire leur dépendance aux ressources externes influent sur la pérennité de leur mission, de leur programme et de leur financement. D'un point de vue empirique, nos résultats suggèrent que la dépendance à l'aide étrangère des The authors are indebted to Willemijn Verkoren, Mr Sivhuoch Ou and two anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments on earlier versions of this article. This project is funded by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO).ONG a divers effets sur ces organisations, comme l'imprévisibilité du financement, la dérive des objectifs, la diminution de l'autonomie organisationnelle et l'apparition d'un système de responsabilité descendante. Le financement par l'activité commerciale est plus prévisible, promeut potentiellement un système de responsabilité ascendante et accroît l'autonomie organisationnelle, mais peut éloigner les ONG de leur mission. D'un point de vue théorique, cet article contribue à la théorie de la dépendance aux ressources (TDR) en introduisant la perspective des pays en voie de développement, qui suppose d'importantes différences de pouvoir entre les organismes de financement et les ONG locales bénéficiaires. Les réponses stratégiques employées par les responsables des NGO locales pour réduire leur dépen-dance aux ressources externes impliquent un changement de paradigme, le contrôle externe devant céder face à son intégration locale et à une autonomie accrue. Ces résultats ont d'importantes conséquences politiques en termes de réglementation des activités commerciales liées ou non aux ONG.Zusammenfassung Dieser Beitrag untersucht, wie sich die Strategien nichtstaatlicher Organisationen in Kambodscha zur Verringerung ihrer Abhängigkeit von externen Ressourcen auf die Nachhaltigkeit ihrer Mission, ihres Programms und ihrer Finan...

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The Attributes of Effective NGOs and the Leadership Values Associated with a Reputation for Organizational Effectiveness

Mitchell

2015

Nonprofit Mgmnt & Ldrshp

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Building on prior research characterizing organizational effectiveness as a social construction, this article identifies the perceived attributes of effective transnational nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and the leadership values associated with higher reputations for organizational effectiveness. Results are based on an in‐depth, mixed‐method interview study of 152 NGO leaders located in the United States and representing all major sectors of organizational activity. Among the twenty‐nine attributes that leaders identified in peer organizations that they regarded as particularly effective, leaders stressed instantiation of sound principles or strategy, a grassroots approach, large organizational size and resources, being collaborative, singleness of focus, campaigning abilities, funding and fundraising prowess, global scope, and quality people. Furthermore, statistical analysis reveals that NGOs with leaders who value similarities with peer organizations, grassroots approaches, diversity of strategies, dedication, professionalism, and distributed organizational structures have significantly higher reputations for effectiveness.

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Strategic Responses to Resource Dependence Among Transnational NGOs Registered in the United States

Cited by 92 publications

References 30 publications

Facing the Bullet? Non-Governmental Organisations’ (NGOs’) Responses to the Changing Aid Landscape in Ghana

Facing the Bullet? Non-Governmental Organisations’ (NGOs’) Responses to the Changing Aid Landscape in Ghana

Resource Dependence and Effects of Funding Diversification Strategies Among NGOs in Cambodia

The Attributes of Effective NGOs and the Leadership Values Associated with a Reputation for Organizational Effectiveness

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