The power of third sector organizations in public education

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to address school–NGO interactions by analyzing the power of foundations – a specific type of third sector organization or NGO in education. Design/methodology/approach Data are collected through a quantitative survey, qualitative interviews, official documents, reports and websites. Social network analysis and grounded theory are used to analyze the data with the aim to develop a theoretical approach. Findings The study identifies three dimensions, i.e. relational, structural and discursive dimensions of power. Based on the analysis of an illustrative multi-stakeholder initiative, the paper highlights the role of foundations in framing educational settings, concepts and structures of the education system as such. Practical implications The three-dimensional power perspective offered in this paper is particularly useful for scholars investigating school–NGO interactions or multi-stakeholder partnerships in education. Furthermore, it is of crucial importance for practitioners, school principals and education administrators dealing with school–NGO interactions given that foundations seem to be increasingly able to draw on new sources of power in these interactions. Originality/value While the number and power of the third sector in education continues to rise worldwide, there is wide consensus that NGO power in education has, to date, hardly been researched. This paper contributes to this dearth of research by uncovering foundations’ different sources of power and by developing a theoretical approach for analyzing the power of third-sector organizations in education.

Goals aligned: Predictors of common goal identification in educational cross-sectoral collaboration initiatives

“…In so doing, this article also aims to contribute to a tremendously expanding research field – that of third-sector involvement and cross-sectoral alliances in education (Kolleck, 2019; Eyal and Yarm, 2018). The present study enriches this research field by presenting new empirical insights and first evidence on the predictors of common goal identification in an illustrative educational collaborative endeavour in Germany.…”

“…Empirically, we focus on the collaboration patterns and individual characteristics of actors involved in the collective impact programme 'RuhrFutur', which was initiated in the German Ruhr area to address issues concerning educational inequality. This article is part of a larger study aimed at understanding how external actors participate in state education systems (Kolleck, 2019), which examined various aspects of this collaborative initiative. Notably, we use SNT to analyse an assembly of individuals and organizations metaphorically described (and self-described) as a 'network'.…”

Interconnected bureaucracies? Comparing online and offline networks during global climate negotiations

“…Moreover, Twitter offers IPAs the potential to share information on specific policy issues fast and directly with a wider audience. This information can guide public attention towards important topics and create coalitions that go beyond formal negotiations (J€ orgens et al, 2017), shape the public discourse (Kolleck, 2011(Kolleck, , 2017(Kolleck, , 2019 and, hence, potentially influence negotiations outcomes. Thus, we expect their influence to be similar or stronger in online networks.…”

The third sector and innovation: competitive strategies, incentives, and impediments to change

“…These are typically publicly funded schools operated by independent, non-state organizations, but can also include schools contracting with the government, as with PPPs, non-profit private schools, such as those run by religious or community organizations, or even for-profit schools that are either directly or indirectly subsidized by the state, philanthropies, or other funding agencies. But, secondly, the third sector is being shaped not only at the school level, but at the governance and policymaking levels as well (Kolleck, 2019). While the third, or "voluntary" sector has traditionally been an arena for civic and community organizations, the growth of non-state schools, and the influence of private interests in schooling, has also meant increasing influence for non-state actors in education governance and policymaking (Au & Lubienski, 2016;Kolleck, 2019;Lubienski, 2016;Lubienski, Brewer & LaLonde, 2016;Reckhow & Snyder, 2014).…”

“…But, secondly, the third sector is being shaped not only at the school level, but at the governance and policymaking levels as well (Kolleck, 2019). While the third, or "voluntary" sector has traditionally been an arena for civic and community organizations, the growth of non-state schools, and the influence of private interests in schooling, has also meant increasing influence for non-state actors in education governance and policymaking (Au & Lubienski, 2016;Kolleck, 2019;Lubienski, 2016;Lubienski, Brewer & LaLonde, 2016;Reckhow & Snyder, 2014). Although church groups have traditionally had some degree of influence in many contexts, particularly in "integrated" systems such as New Zealand or Australia, or in otherwise subsidized systems such as with vouchers in Chile, the entrance of new types of actors in school management has diversified the third sector.…”