| Abstract: | 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. |
