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Leadership and Effectiveness of Transnational NGOs: Perspectives from cross-sectoral research. Steven J. Lux Transnational NGO Initiative Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs. Outline. Rationale for interview study Design: sampling, protocol and interview process - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Leadership and Effectiveness of Transnational NGOs: Perspectives from cross-sectoral research
Steven J. LuxTransnational NGO Initiative
Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs
Rationale for interview study
Design: sampling, protocol and interview process
Coding, data structure and data transformation
Preliminary findings
TNGO Initiative @ The Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs
Outline
A rapidly growing awareness of TNGOs is not matched by systematic and interdisciplinary research efforts;
In particular, we diagnose a dearth of large-N studies cutting across size, sectors, and financial capacity;
TNGO Initiative @ The Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs
Rationale
Create data in a cross-disciplinary context, using quantitative as well as qualitative tools;
Add the perspective of TNGO leadership on their role in global governance;
Develop a research program integrated with teaching and practitioner engagement;
TNGO Initiative @ The Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs
Objectives
In-depth interviews with leaders from 152 US-registered TNGOs;
Sample selection: 1. sector, 2. size, 3. financial health and capacity;
Selected from a population rated by Charity Navigator in 2005;
TNGO Initiative @ The Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs
Design/sampling
Size
21% (32)
42% (64)
37% (56)
small (< $ 1 Mio.)large ($ 1-10 Mio.)giant (> $ 10 Mio.)
TNGO Initiative @ The Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs
Sector9% (13)
42% (64)
21% (32)
14% (21)
14% (22)
EnvironmentHuman RightsHumanit. ReliefDevelopmentConfl. Resolution
TNGO Initiative @ The Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs
Fiscal health and capacity
14% (22)
9% (13)
23% (35)
54% (82)
low/lowhigh f/low clow f/high chigh/high
TNGO Initiative @ The Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs
The claim of representativeness is limited to US-registered TNGOs, not global community of such orgs.
Charity Navigator provided a specific population, but was the only one containing financial ratings.
TNGO Initiative @ The Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs
Limitations of the sample
Changes in organizational goals and governance structures
Effectiveness and its assessment Accountability Funding as related to effectiveness and
accountability Communication, collaboration, networks and
partnerships Leadership characteristics and preparation
TNGO Initiative @ The Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs
Interview protocol
Response rate: 123 out of 177; in-sample replacements
Interviewees largely top leaders (81%); Researcher visit headquarters; Interviews lasted an average of 85 minutes;
TNGO Initiative @ The Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs
Interview process
What measures did we take to increase the candor of TNGO leaders’ answers?
Confidentiality was guaranteed. Interviewers assessed candor after the interview. Most TNGO leaders exceeded the time commitment,
indicating a strong interest in the results.
TNGO Initiative @ The Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs
Limitations of the method/coding
Professional transcriptions; Atlas.ti software used to code interviews; Development of codebook;
TNGO Initiative @ The Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs
Coding process
TNGO Initiative @ The Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs
Alignment
TNGO Initiative @ The Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs
Emerging findings
Motives and goals
Effectiveness
Accountability
Leadership
Networking and partnerships
TNGO Initiative @ The Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs
Bridging the gap
A general conclusion:
When we look across data in different areas of the interview protocol, one of the striking results is the consistent gap between the academic literature and practitioners’ perspectives.
How do we best understand TNGOs? Principled and interest-driven views compete in the
current debates, in particular in IR. Interviews show that TNGOs are not best
understood as either principled or interest-driven actors.
Strategic pursuit of impact: TNGOs pursue principles within a dynamically constrained environment.
TNGO Initiative @ The Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs
Motives
Leaders conceptualize effectiveness largely as goal attainment and evaluation -- outcome accountability Stronger conceptualization of goal attainment at the
program level than at the organizational level
Resource availability/growth, overhead minimization and stakeholder satisfaction are far less pervasive in the answers
TNGO Initiative @ The Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs
Effectiveness
TNGOs monitor outputs closely but relegate outcome attribution to narrative process tracing or speculation (lack of rigor).
Definition of effectiveness as goal attainment contrasts sharply with the academic literature which has largely abandoned goal attainment for proxy measures, including reputation or resource acquisition.
TNGO Initiative @ The Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs
Effectiveness: a gap
TNGO leaders primarily focus on three dimensions of accountability: financial management, mandate and transparency;
TNGO leaders are less likely to mention the following dimensions of accountability: responsiveness, evaluation, and participation;
TNGO Initiative @ The Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs
Defining Accountability
Service-delivery organizations emphasize growth as the main benefit of accountability;
Advocacy organizations emphasize reputational benefits;
TNGO Initiative @ The Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs
Benefits of Accountability
TNGO leaders are satisfied with the level of their organization’s accountability
The three dimensions of accountability emphasized by TNGO leaders are least likely to lead to organizational learning.
TNGO leader perspectives confirm a gap between their current practice and ideas advanced by standard-based initiatives and the academic literature.
TNGO Initiative @ The Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs
Accountability: a gap
Leadership behavior in the face of constraints:
57% of leaders ‘work within the system’, i.e. make incremental changes rather than challenge governance constraints head-on (‘constraint respecters’)
11% prefer to ‘work behind the scenes’ 13% challenge constraints head-on
TNGO Initiative @ The Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs
Leadership
19% have ability to either challenge directly or indirectly, depending on context;
TNGO Initiative @ The Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs
Leadership
Networks: informal, loose relationships among organizations, sub-units or individuals. Membership tends to be more homogenous.
Partnerships: more formal working or contractual relationships between institutions. Different types of expertise brought together.
TNGO Initiative @ The Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs
Networking/partnerships: definition
TNGOs join networks primarily to interact and share resources (information, expertise…). Networks help TNGOs raise their voice and may help in identifying sources of funding or potential partners.
TNGOs form partnerships primarily for joint implementation. Partnerships can attract donor support, improve effectiveness/efficiency, and increase transparency.
TNGO Initiative @ The Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs
Networking/partnerships: motives and benefits
N “a network expands your universe” (Interview No. 150)
P “need to pool resources to actually be able to do this project; [we are] doing it jointly and splitting the budget” (Interview No. 27)
TNGO Initiative @ The Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs
Networking/partnerships: answer samples
Networks: lack of commitment, may involve wasting time and resources. “We get tired because often the network is over time” (Interview
No. 142)
Partnerships: inequality and (un)fair distribution of benefits. “For an NGO getting one percent of the one percent of a fortune
five-hundred company’s annual revenues, [how can you] call that a partnership?” (Interview No. 148)
TNGO Initiative @ The Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs
Networking/partnerships: challenges
Research collaboration Data sharing
Practitioner engagement Summer Institute
Education
TNGO Initiative @ The Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs
Future plans