A model for consulting to help effect change in organizations

Rapid change in an organization's environment creates barriers to needed change in strategy and culture. Managers, and the consultants who are invariably called on to assist such efforts, face difficult challenges in working together to effect change. They often fail to achieve the desired results. The author offers a new model of consulting to help guide general managers and consultants in the creation of the necessary conditions for successful management of change. This model is based on lessons learned from case studies in the health care industry.     

Creating caring institutions for community informatics

This paper explores the potential affordances of applying a feminist ethics of care approach to community informatics practices in public internet access facilities. As feminist technology scholars have long observed, technology and technoculture are strongly encoded as masculine, privileging traits such as scientific knowledge, rationality, objectivity, and distance. These characteristics are expressed in traditional infomediary practices in a variety of ways, including notions of expertise, ways of conceptualizing technology, emphasis on skills attainment, and deficit-based models of user behavior. In contrast, ethics of care emphasizes the importance of relational and situated knowledge, pluralistic voices and experiences, and relationships bound by mutual interdependence. Traditionally, caring has been feminized and thus necessarily excluded from technoculture and relegated to invisible and unpaid labor. Caring and associated affective labor practices remain an under-examined subject in infomediary practices. Public libraries and community technology centers are logical places to explore for care work, given that they share many characteristics of the spaces where care work has historically been performed. We argue that an ethics of care framework has several possible affordances for infomediary practices in these institutions, including highlighting the gendered power dynamics that define and shape existing practices; distributing care work and making existing care work visible; and envisioning a more holistic and ethical approach to engaging diverse publics. We translate Tronto’s seven warning signs for ‘bad care’ in institutions into seven positive guidelines for providing ‘good care’ in public internet access facilities, then contextualize these for community informatics institutions and practices.     

Tapuwae: a vehicle for community change

In indigenous community development there has been a relianceon critical theory to inform and underpin practice. In thisarticle constructivist approaches such as Native theory providean alternative theoretical basis to community development ina New Zealand Maori context. The study describes a Maori communitydevelopment initiative in the southern South Island of New Zealandthat was evaluated using Barr and Heshagen's ABCD frameworkof examining the inputs, outputs, processes and outcomes ofa project. The conclusions supports a Native Theory approachthat focuses on a community's strengths, using it's culturalprocesses where projects must be constructed on a case by casebasis.     

Images for change: community development, community arts and photography

This article explores how community development objectives canbe achieved through critical photographic practice. It summarizesthe literature relating to community arts practice and its potentialfor social regeneration. Photography is then located withinthis context and explored as a critical practice, with particularattention being given to photo-elicitation, photo-novella andphotovoice methods. The literature is discussed and analysedto explore how far critical photographic practice can meet theobjectives of community development.     

How climate change organizations utilize websites for public relations

This study is designed to examine climate change organizations (CCO)’s online public relations. It analyzes CCOs’ communicative efforts to build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders including media, donors, volunteers, and communities by using their websites and social networks. To accomplish this, a content analysis of 60 CCO websites was conducted. The result indicates that CCOs utilize websites primarily for media relations and fund raising purposes. The function of building and maintaining relationships with communities, current donors/volunteers was not actively utilized on CCOs’ websites. The interactivity of communication with stakeholders was somewhat limited in CCO's online communication activities.     

Interlakes community health centers: A case study

Interlakes Community Health Centers (ICHC) provides primary health care services to low-income people in a medium-size city. ICHC expanded from three to five service centers and soon ran into problems meeting payroll. Several strategic management dilemmas stem from this crisis.     

The theory of change of the evaluation support program: Enhancing the role of community organizations in providing an ecology of care for neurological disorders

This paper discusses the Ontario Brain Institute’s theory of change for the Evaluation Support Program, a program designed to enhance the role of community organizations in providing care and services for people living with a brain disorder. This is done by helping community organizations build evaluation capacity and foster the use of evidence to inform their activities and services. Helping organizations to build capacities to track the ‘key ingredients’ of their successes will help ensure that successes are replicated and services can be improved to maximize the benefit that people receive from them. This paper describes the hypothesized outcomes and early impacts of the Evaluation Support Program, as well as how the program will contribute to the field of evaluation capacity building.     

Farmer producer organizations as farmer collectives: A case study from India

Small and marginal farmers in India have been vulnerable to risks in agricultural production. Several organizational prototypes are emerging to integrate them into the value chain with the objective of enhancing incomes and reducing transaction costs. Among these are Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs). We explore the potential of FPOs as collective institutions through a case study of Avirat, one of the first FPOs in Gujarat. Our analysis suggests that FPOs have the potential to provide benefits through effective collective action. The main challenge, however, is to raise sufficient capital to maximize these benefits. We discuss the implications of our findings to policy.     

Assessing values and value change in Thai organizations

Abstract

The development of coherent culture is important for corporations to develop goals that can be shared, understood and commonly pursued by the member of an organization. A lack of cultural coherence needs to be addressed since it can impact on corporate effectiveness affecting, for instance, communication, performance and adaptation. Under the crises caused by the complexification of societies and the development of increasing political uncertainty, corporate cultural coherence becomes more important. Such corporation change situations tend to be influenced by a new emerging value system, and it is useful to identify the impact of this on corporate coherence. while the evaluation of cultural coherence can be explored through cultural mapping models, there are few adequate approaches to this. One approach that does offer such adequacy will be explored within the context of Thai culture, where the ‘core value coherence’ in three corporate environments across different levels of management and between employees will be examined.     

Managing traditionality and strategic change in nonprofit organizations

Fundamental differences with the for-profit sector, and that sector's own experiences, make it unwise for nonprofit leaders to adopt business organizations' externally focused approach to strategic change. Theories of organizational survival and punctuated equilibrium models of change and continuity, as well as the authors' research, suggest that planning aimed toward matching the organization to changes in its environment has limited value. This article argues that due to the relative constancy of societal needs and nonprofits' missions, and the importance of society's demands for reliable, accountable performance, nonprofits should greatly value continuity. Utilizating a typology of changes that nonprofits may confront, the authors clarify why potential organizational change should be approached cautiously, with a strong regard for traditionality as a mechanism of continuity. They then sketch some of the implications of this perspective for nonprofit sector researchers and leaders concerning the role of traditionality in successful organizational adaptation, including the value of historical analyses and the healthy tension between traditionality and change.     

Religion and community philanthropic organizations: The case of the United Jewish Appeal‐Federation of New York

This article explores the processes that occur when community philanthropic organizations develop religious expressions and practices by examining the shifts that took place within the United Jewish Appeal‐Federation of New York between 1990 and 2014. As the findings indicate, the gradual integration of ethnoreligious practices, norms, and expressions into the Federation's missions, routine, activities, and distribution of resources, as well as among staff and volunteers, reshaped the Federation's identity and faith‐based orientation. This process led the Federation to move beyond being a faith‐background organization toward becoming a faith‐affiliated organization, expressing Jewish beliefs through its charitable work and philanthropic activities. The article highlights the resulting dilemmas and obstacles faced by the Federation and concludes with a discussion of the implications for understanding the process of increased religion among community philanthropic organizations.     

Creating knowledge through theater: A case study with developmentally disabled adults

In this case study, the author describes a participatory research project in which he assisted a group of developmentally disabled adults with the creation of two musical theater productions and an interview project. The article begins with a discussion of the ideas of Paulo Freire and the feminist consciousness-raising movement. The two theater productions are then described and analyzed using Habermas’s notions of instrumental, relational and critical knowledge as a way of understanding what kinds of knowledge had been produced. The analysis shows how three kinds of educational activities were taking place: outsiders educating insiders, us educating each other, and us educating others. The analysis also shows how outsiders educating insiders did not occur in the relational and critical categories, suggesting that if relational and critical knowledge are sought, the researcher cannot remain an outsider, but must become co-learner and co-researcher with group members.     

Strategic philanthropy and its challenges in India: A multiple case study of grantmaking organizations

Grantmaking organizations in the United States play an increasingly important role in philanthropic giving toward international development issues. Champions of strategic philanthropy have encouraged grantmakers to set clear goals, use evidence‐based strategies, and monitor programs. This exploratory study delves into grantmaking in one of the largest emerging economies; India. Although India is a major recipient of private philanthropy, it continues to perform below average on various socio‐economic indicators. The impact of grantmaking has been unclear. We conducted in‐depth interviews with managers and leaders (n = 9) engaged in decision‐making within U.S. based grantmaking organizations, including nonprofit intermediaries and philanthropic foundations. We examine how the concept of strategic philanthropy is operationalized by participant organizations. Although the participants acknowledge the importance of starting out with a well‐defined strategy, they also face several challenges. We identify some of these challenges, outline how they are being addressed, and discuss implications.     

Through community eyes: the transition of international organizations from community aid to development in postconflict Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone experienced an 11-year civil war, brutalizing its people and destroying its communities. With the cessation of violence, international organizations helped to secure peace, deliver aid and supplies, and, after, assist with development projects. This grounded theory study, which aims to understand the role these organizations played from the viewpoint of community members in 2 communities, posits that community members’ regard of international organizations lessened as their efforts transitioned from securing the peace and relief efforts to aid for development. Highlighted are the successes and challenges of this work and a broad discussion of implications and recommendations.     

Ecosocial change and community resilience: The case of “Bönan” in glocal transition

ABSTRACT

The aim of this article was to identify and discuss ecosocial changes and community resilience mechanisms in a coastal fishing community of Sweden – Bönan. Data were collected through eight semi-structured interviews and field observations. An abductive thematic analysis was used to analyze data and background literature. The findings showed that Bönan has been exposed to a combination of ecosocial changes that have transformed the community, and therefore required community resilience interventions. This article concludes that social workers need to take an active part in ecosocial work for enhancing community resilience.     

Merging nonprofit organizations: Analysis of a case study

This article presents a case study of merging among nonprofit organizations that provide social and community services. The study sheds light on the dynamics and problems of merging nonprofit organizations, whose espoused ideology focuses on promoting the well-being of their clients. The author describes and analyzes a merger in metropolitan Jerusalem, Israel, and highlights the potential problems that may ultimately undermine its success. This merger is the outcome of an ongoing power and political struggle. The analysis focuses on the organizational ideologies and culture as well as the strategies and structure of the merging organizations. In addition, the author deals with the underlying motives for merging, the driving and restraining forces, and the implications of merging nonprofit community services organizations with other social and human services organizations.     

External environmental change and transparency in grassroots organizations in China

As the nonprofit sector emerges in China, so too do the concerns about nonprofit transparency. In response to calls for increased nonprofit information disclosure and the lack of related research, this study examines changes in transparency of Chinese grassroots nonprofit organizations. Using the first national Survey of Transparency on Grassroots Organizations (2013–2015), this study finds that Chinese grassroots nonprofit transparency has increased in the past few years. Applying resource dependence theory in China‐specific social contexts, this study highlights the importance of external resource to nonprofit transparency. These findings contribute empirical evidence to the nascent literature on nonprofit transparency and provide implications for enhancing nonprofit transparency in China and beyond.     

Disclosure of sexual abuse in sport organizations: a case study

The disclosure of sexual abuse in the world of sports is a process that has not been widely documented. This article presents the results of a document analysis of sport organization policies and interviews conducted with 27 sport stakeholders. The interviews focus on these stakeholders' perceptions of how the disclosure process would unfold if a case of sexual abuse were to arise in their organization and their perceptions of the actual cases experienced in the sport organizations participating in this study. The results reveal several problems affecting the disclosure of sexual abuse in sport organizations.