06260221 - Management in international non-profit organizations

• DARLOW Peter

Isabelle BARNETT, Global Business Programme Lead, Adecco Group

MANAGEMENT OF INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANISATIONS (« It’s not all about the profit »)

The mantra of companies “maximizing shareholder value” has given way to a wider remit and social responsibility. Companies interact with a variety of organisations across the public, private and voluntary sectors. Many companies are setting corporate social responsibility goals, creating charitable foundations, encouraging staff to volunteer and connecting with the non-profit sector. At the same time, non-profit organisations are setting strategies, priorities, goals and managing resources that mimics aspects of the private sector.

This course provides students with a general introduction to the international non-profit sector.

It specifically focuses on international organisations (IOs), representing the public sector, and international non-governmental organisations (INGOs), representing the voluntary sector.
The course is practical, taking real-life examples and case studies of current organisations and how they are dealing with current management issues.

Students are encouraged to research specific Organisations, highlighting management challenges, and similarities and differences to management in the private sector.
Estimation of private study (outside of contact hours): 20 hours

DIMENSION OF SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

“Global problems, global solutions”: the whole course has a social dimension: the course is about different types of organisations where the primary goal is non-profit. Many of these organisations, especially the International NGOs, have a specific social dimension. The course also is heavily lined towards the UN SDGs and one of the core objectives is “to connect INPOs with the wider corporate social responsibility goals”.

TARGETED KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

The objectives are for students to:

• understand and classify different types of international non-profit organizations, their legal status and goals;
• analyse the role and position of international non-profit organisations within the corporate, voluntary and public sector architecture;
• apply general management models to analyse international non-profit organisations across different functional domains;
• identify differences and similarities in management techniques between national and international non-profit and for-profit organisations;
• connect international non-profit organisations with wider corporate social responsibility goals.

The course applies standard theories to specific examples to allow students to put their theoretical skills in to practical situations.

Each session takes a classical management dimension and applies the general management theories and practices to international non-profit organisations.

• Session 1: legal and governance: Understand the legal basis of international non-profit organisations, be able to describe and classify different types of INPOs;
• Session 2: strategic planning and partnerships: Analyse how international non-profit organizations set their strategy and mission and set targets;
• Session 3: programme and project delivery: Understand how international non-profit organizations deliver and track their projects and activities;
• Session 4: financial resources: Analyse how INPOs obtain their revenues and contain their costs, understand the financial management of non-profit organisations;
• Session 5: human resources: explain the differences between managing human resources between profit and non-profit organisations, understand the different sorts of contracts and the importance and difficulties in managing voluntary resources;

Optional session: communication and marketing: This session looks at how international non-profit organisations use various communications’ tools to get across their vital messages.

PRESCRIBED TEXTS AND PUBLICATIONS :

• Management of International Institutions and NGOs: Frameworks, practices and challenges, 1st Edition, Routledge, E. Missoni and D. Alesani, ISBN 978-0-415-70665-0

RECOMMENDED TEXTS AND PUBLICATIONS :

• International Organisations and Global Problems Theories and Explanations (2018): Susan Park, 978-1-107-43422-6
• Management of International Institutions and NGOs: Frameworks, practices and challenges, 1st Edition, Routledge, E. Missoni and D. Alesani, ISBN 978-0-415-70665-0
• Managing the non-profit organization: practices and principles, Drucker, Peter F. ISBN: 0750600179 Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann, 2005
• Good to great and the social sectors, Collins Jim, Random House Business, 2006 ISBN 978-1-78769-512-2
• Making Aid Agencies work, Gibson Terry, 2019 Random House Business ISBN 9781905211326

Final Exam
Written 2h
Nature of the assessment, Multiple Choice test, Written exam.

Continuing Examination
30min, Presentation and panel question and answer session

TARGETED KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

The objectives are for students to:

• understand and classify different types of international non-profit organizations, their legal status and goals;
• analyse the role and position of international non-profit organisations within the corporate, voluntary and public sector architecture;
• apply general management models to analyse international non-profit organisations across different functional domains;
• identify differences and similarities in management techniques between national and international non-profit and for-profit organisations;
• connect international non-profit organisations with wider corporate social responsibility goals.

The course applies standard theories to specific examples to allow students to put their theoretical skills in to practical situations.

TEACHING METHODS

The course is classroom taught. Basic theory is supported by group work where active class participation is expected and encouraged. Regular quizzes are organized to allow for student participation and obtain feedback on learning criteria. The course is enlivened by different presenters as well as guests who are “interviewed” and provide real-life examples.

NATURE OF MATERIALS

The basis of the course is presented using standard applications and is classroom based, with the supporting presentations on screen. Group work is facilitated with white boards and is encouraged to be interactive with “post-its” aiding the creative flows.

TEACHING INNOVATIONS AND USE OF TECHNOLOGY

The course is classroom based, supported by the standard platform where files are loaded prior to the course. Students are encouraged to download and use the app “Kahoot” for the quizzes. Sessions use video as examples and students are encouraged to be creative in presenting their organisations. Online surveys are taken using “survey monkey” to obtain feedback on the presentations.

PRE-REQUISITES IN TERMS OF KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

Students should have basic management skills and knowledge across the functional domains: legal and governance, strategy, project management, finance, HR and communication.

ADVISED PRIOR READING:

No specific reading is required to the course. Students are expected to be aware of current events and be able to discuss these knowledgably through the specific organisations during the course. A number of texts are advised as additional reading including:
Management of International Institutions and NGOs: Frameworks, practices and challenges, 1st Edition, Routledge, E. Missoni and D. Alesani, ISBN 978-0-415-70665-0.

RESOURCES AVAILABLE :

A detailed list of resources is provided with the course: lists of IGOs and INGOs. For example, although now dated, Drucker’s knowledge of management practices warrants inclusion on the list.
Managing the non-profit organization: practices and principles, Drucker, Peter F. ISBN: 0750600179 Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann, 2005.