Irrational decision making: Cultural influence on environmental nonprofit organizations' advocacy strategies |
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| Authors: | Li-Yin Liu |
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| Affiliation: | Department of Political Science, University of Dayton, Dayton, OH |
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| Abstract: | The determinants of environmental nonprofit organizations' (ENPOs) advocacy strategies is particularly important in East Asian countries, such as Taiwan, in which the public values harmony and aggressive movements are often controversial because of the influence of Confucianism. What triggers ENPOs in Taiwan to initiate aggressive environmental protests is consequently a question worth investigating. Accordingly, this study sought answers to the unasked question: How do ENPOs' decision makers decide what types of advocacy activities to pursue? To answer this question, this study utilized cultural theory (CT) to develop hypotheses to test data collected through an online survey in Taiwan. The evidence confirms what CT predicted. ENPOs' decision making on advocacy activities is neither affected by their organizational scale/resources nor the effectiveness and acceptance of environmental activities. Instead, ENPOs' organizational culture plays a crucial role, especially in explaining advocacy activities that are relatively controversial and less accepted by the Taiwanese public. ENPOs that have egalitarian and individualistic organizational cultures are more likely to initiate every type of environmental activity, especially protest-based activities. Based on the results, organizational culture may be useful in explaining the bounded rationality behind decision making. This result also indicates that ENPOs in Taiwan should plan more carefully before initiating activities. Actions without careful planning may result in resource waste and legitimacy challenges. The results of this study can be beneficial for ENPOs to reconsider their decision making regarding environmental advocacy. |
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