Ngo-Business Partnerships

The rapidly changing external environment is having major implications for the role of NGOs, their sources of funding, the nature of their relationships and their activities Globalization, the Increasingly multinational nature of business and electronic communication, has caused a parallel reduction in the powers of the nation state to affect development and a rise in the powers of the business community NGOs need to engage with the private sector in new ways. INTRAC's own ongoing monitoring of the NGO sector suggests that an analysis of these issues would be of great value to NGOs and the private sector as they grapple with possible new modes of engagement in their quest to have a positive impact on justice, peace and poverty alleviation.

Relations have moved beyond the purely philanthropic, with corporations giving money to good causes, and the highly antagonistic, with organizations protesting a company's operations, to a situation where the two sectors often work in partnership to address core business issues such as environmental management, product development and ethical sourcing.There has been an explosion in these forms of partnership between business and NGOs. This raises many issues for strategies and tactics to be followed by NGO management. As such this research is of key strategic importance to NGOs and the private sector.     

Environmental NGO–business collaboration and strategic bridging: a case analysis of the Greenpeace–Foron Alliance

Environmental NGO–business collaborative partnerships, commonly called green alliances, are encouraging corporate enviropreneurship, entrepreneurial innovations that address environmental problems and result in operational efficiencies, new technologies and marketable ‘green’ products. Aside from offering environmental, scientific and legal expertise, environmental NGOs can provide linkages to other societal stakeholders, referred to as strategic bridges, to support enviropreneurial initiatives. This article focuses on the linkage capabilities of environmental NGOs by developing an extended strategic bridging framework that articulates necessary process contingencies and engagement strategies for building effective bridges with environmental stakeholders. Propositions are advanced and tested in an analysis of the alliance between Greenpeace and Foron Household Appliances in Germany during 1992–93 for the marketing of an environmentally responsible refrigerator. Stakeholder characteristics and partnership outcomes reveal managerial implications and conceptual extensions of strategic bridging in green alliances, and future research directions are discussed. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment     

Strategies for local and regional NGO development: combining sustainable outcomes with sustainable organizations

This paper addresses the issue of the development of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and the problem of how to combine sustainable outcomes from activities with sustainable organizations. It seeks to blend concept with practice via the development and application of a model of the NGO as an entrepreneurial organization. The context is that of the experience of (and work undertaken with) the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) funded Competency-based Economies through the Formation of Enterprise (CEFE) Network of NGOs in South Africa. The paper argues that viewing NGOs as entrepreneurial small organizations with a focus upon dynamic stakeholder network development, entrepreneurial management, strategic business development, and strategic alliance building is the key to the much sought after combination of sustainable outcomes and organization. After briefly reviewing some of the advantages and disadvantages associated with the role of NGOs in small enterprise development and the context of the operation of the CEFE Network of NGOs in South Africa, a model of entrepreneurial NGOs is proposed and then applied to South African CEFE Networks. In the conclusion a final outline of NGO sustainability criteria is offered and implications for donor approaches are briefly explored.     

Waste management and recycling in Romania: a case study of technology transfer in an economy in transition

This paper describes a project which attempted to play some role in enabling the process of transferring knowledge between the UK and Romania. In partnership with a Romanian environmental non-governmental organisation (NGO), Powerful Information (an environmental information charity in the UK) worked towards searching out and evaluating the options available to local authorities wanting to develop more environmentally benign approaches to solid waste management, and in particular through recycling schemes. One key issue here is the role of standards as shaping technological trajectories, and the way inappropriate standards from another context can constrain local technological development. There has been a tendency for central and eastern European (CEE) countries to adopt laws and standards, resulting from an unquestioning adoption of standards from high income countries that may not be sustainable. The project described here was designed instead to identify choices and explore the process of evaluating and choosing appropriate technological systems for the particular situation that different Romanian municipalities were facing. It also examines emerging informal networks among waste management professionals and NGOs as a way of challenging this standards adopting approach to driving change in this area.     

Business Strategies of Incumbents in the Market for Electric Vehicles: Opportunities and Incentives for Sustainable Innovation

This paper focuses on the relation between large car manufacturers’ incentive and opportunity to innovate and their electric vehicle (EV) business strategies. We analyze how environmental regulation and the firm's incentive (measured by net income) and opportunity to innovate (measured by EV asset position, determined from a combination of patent, partnership and prototype data) affected EV sales over the period 1990–2011. During the EV's R&D period in the 1990s, large car manufacturers that were regulated by the full zero emission vehicle mandate developed a significantly stronger EV asset position, but did not sell significantly more EVs than their rivals. During the EV's commercialization period (2007–2011), large car manufacturers with both a strong incentive and a strong opportunity to innovate sold significantly more EVs. Based on these results, the paper offers a typology of business strategies, several managerial implications, and recommendations for policy makers to stimulate sustainable development. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment     

Sustainable Tuna – Can the Marketplace Improve Fishery Management?

Tuna is a major global seafood commodity and thus of significance to retailers in most countries, but especially in countries consuming large quantities of canned tuna such as the United Kingdom, United States and many European countries. Some key species are under heavy fishing pressure, and companies realize that without conservation oriented management their future supplies may be in jeopardy. Sustainable sourcing policies are becoming an integral part of supply chains for seafood products. Under the influence of public opinion bodies such as the media and environmental NGOs, many retailers have adopted seafood sourcing policies in the past decade. The business strategy of any particular company in seeking to support sustainable fishing can vary, but may include the pursuit of market opportunities, protection from damaging publicity and corporate social responsibility commitments. Companies that seek to involve themselves in fishery sustainability issues need to be committed to broad based partnerships with other companies and NGOs, and transparency about all aspects of their decision making, intentions and progress. The sustainable seafood movement has proven persistent and adaptable, and this is increasing the number of retailers seeking sustainable tuna. In a demand driven market economy this growth will surely be influential. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment     

民间组织在区域协调发展中的功能——以天津市滨海新区为例

经济新区正在成为我国新的经济增长点,但在经济迅速发展的同时,也将产生新的问题.在经济新区建设过程中,实现科学发展、社会和谐需要创新经济社会管理服务体制.以天津滨海新区建设为例,从新区自身需要以及民间组织特点两方面论述了民间组织在区域协调发展中的功能,并在此基础上,对民间组织、政府提出了相应的对策组合,以此促进经济新区经济社会持续、健康、和谐发展.     

Environmental soundness: a pragmatic alternative to expectations of sustainable development in business strategy

In recent years, many companies have responded publicly to pressure to improve their environmental performance. The paradigm within which these responses have been made, however, appears to be confused. This paper proposes the role that companies are best able to play in the societal progression towards sustainable development. We argue that the concept of sustainable development may only be properly applied at the global level; it follows that a ‘sustainably developed’ company or industry sector is not a practical objective. Nevertheless, the contribution which business can make within a sustainable development framework is recognized as being of the highest importance. We suggest that the nature of this contribution pivots around a distinction between environmental soundness (which concerns the interaction between the environment and economics) and sustainability (which adds a broad social element to the environmental and economic, and requires the consideration of time horizons). It is proposed that companies are well positioned to pursue effective environmentally sound corporate strategies. It is also argued that such strategies offer great potential to advance social justice, as environmental improvements are often disproportionately beneficial to poorer groups in society. In contrast, arguments are presented against companies attempting to move beyond environmental soundness to address those broad social elements demanded by sustainable development. A broad allocation of those responsibilities inherent in sustainable development to societal institutions is presented, placing the suggested role of business into context. In advocating the adoption of corporate strategies based on environmental soundness we do not seek to derogate the concept of sustainable development; we do aim to stem the apparent continuing erosion of its fundamental tenets and to identify responsibilities that are appropriate to business. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.     

A critical assessment of how non‐governmental organizations use the capital markets to achieve their aims: a UK study

Non‐governmental organizations (NGOs) increasingly attempt to use the capital markets to further their aims. This paper proposes a taxonomy for such intervention that is based on two distinct strategies: a macro capital redistribution strategy and a micro investor influence strategy, both of which can be undertaken either directly or indirectly. The paper reviews empirical evidence of the success of each strategy through four case studies. It concludes by suggesting that there is some empirical evidence that the typology can be successfully applied and that there is some initial evidence that NGO capital market engagement strategies have, in certain circumstances, successfully changed business strategy. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.     

A ‘PARTNERSHIP’ ROUTE TO HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT?*

Collaborative relationships between firms have been growing in importance, including ‘partnerships’ between customers and suppliers. Institutional economists and sociologists have different views on the origins, character and consequences of partnership, and the nature of this debate is outlined, as well as the implications for the reality of ‘partnership’ and its role in the diffusion of business practice. Against this background we use case study and survey evidence to explore the transition within the supply chain relationship, from a customer ‘demands’ model and hence to ‘supplier development’. Supplier development can be seen as an aid to risk reduction, particularly where it involves management control system development in the supply organization. The partnership implications for the human resource management (HRM) function are explored. Supply-side partners are likely to be involved increasingly with activities that will underpin the alliance (for example, training, cultural change and removal of industrial relations obstacles to change). These indirect effects may be supplemented by direct involvement by the HRM specialists in the customer organization, especially where partnership development places strong reliance on the human resource dimensions of the two organizations. Examples of this form of development are discussed. This evidence is assessed in terms of the different disciplinary approaches discussed at the outset. What emerges most strongly is that although ‘partnership’ is used to describe many inter-firm relationships, many of these are very unequal and are recognized to be so, but in other cases evolutionary steps can be taken to reduce the risks involved and lead to apparently equitable alliances. Within this risk reduction process, the role of human resources appears to be of varying importance.     

User needs in sustainability reporting: Perspectives of stakeholders in Ireland

Abstract

By means of a questionnaire survey, this paper ascertains and analyses the views of a number of Irish stakeholders regarding the adequacy and potential of corporate sustainability reporting to meet their information needs and help them hold corporations to account. The study focuses on ascertaining the views of a sample of Irish social and environmental non-governmental organisations (NGOs), who we argue constitute an important group of non-financial stakeholders. This emphasis on examining NGO perceptions represents an attempt to fill a gap in the academic sustainability reporting research literature whereby the views of non-managerial stakeholders are largely absent. The paper represents the second phase of a determined effort to examine the adequacy of sustainability reporting from the perspective of less economically powerful stakeholders in Ireland and responds specifically to O'Dwyer's (2002) call for research to examine the nature of stakeholder demand for sustainability reporting in Ireland in order to inform the future development of Irish sustainability reporting practices. The results present evidence of a widespread demand for mandated, externally verified sustainability reporting in either the annual report or a separate stand-alone report. This demand is primarily driven by a desire to gain knowledge of companies' commitment to responsible business practices but is also, albeit to a lesser extent, influenced by the perceived ability of sustainability reporting to facilitate increased NGO pressure on companies. Current sustainability reporting practice is viewed negatively with regard to its credibility and sufficiency, as well as the opportunities it provides for engagement with companies, particularly among environmental NGO respondents. While respondents tended to be suspicious of corporate motives for sustainability reporting, many were optimistic about the potential for NGO engagement with companies aimed at tackling social and environmental issues and improving current sustainability reporting practice. Drawing on the survey results, the paper makes some recommendations for future research aimed at improving sustainability reporting practices in Ireland and more broadly.     

Partnership structures and agendas and managers' assessments of stakeholder outcomes

The theory of workplace partnership suggests that partnership structures combining strategic and operational arrangements and addressing substantively significant agendas of broad scope should lead to positive outcomes for the main stakeholder groups: employers, employees and unions. Data from a survey of managers involved in all known partnerships in unionised companies in the Republic of Ireland in 2000 are used to distinguish ‘integrated business partnerships’, where such structures and agendas prevail, and ‘exploratory partnerships’ characterised by operational or strategic structures only and relatively sparse or narrow agendas. Managers involved in integrated business partnerships are shown to assess more positively a range of current and expected outcomes of significance for each stakeholder group. However, managers' assessments and expectations also point towards a bias in favour of employer interests in the outcomes of integrated business partnerships. The theoretical and policy implications of the results are considered.     

Connecting business with the agricultural landscape: business strategies for sustainable rural development

Agribusiness enterprises link rural landscapes to global and regional markets. The nature of these business–landscape relationships is vital to the sustainability transition. Decisions by farmers and agriculture policymakers aggregate to changes in the ecology of landscapes, but the influence of food supply system businesses on rural landscape sustainability also requires scrutiny. This article uses four international cases to present a conceptual framework for investigating how different business strategies can support agricultural landscape sustainability. Insights from North America, New Zealand, The Netherlands, and Denmark inform the framework dimensions of horizontal/territorial and vertical/systemic business–landscape relationships. Three types of business model that promote rural sustainability are highlighted: provenance, cogovernance, and placemaking. These models engage strategies such as environmental management systems, certification, ecosystem and landscape services, and spatial planning. Research directions that will improve understanding about how business can engage with rural stakeholders for more sustainable rural landscapes are identified, including the need for cross disciplinary perspectives incorporating social, ecological, and business knowledge.     

Building integrated workforces across national borders: the case of British and Japanese engineers

Increased competition in the global market and the rapid pace of technological development have led to the proliferation of cross-border partnerships among multinational firms. However, diversity in national backgrounds, management systems and work practices between partner firms can limit the development of robust co-operative relationships and impede the formation of integrated work teams. This study provides a concrete analysis of how the diversity in the technology management systems and work practices between a Japanese and British electronics firm has constrained their collaboration. It examines how the two firms attempt to co-ordinate the work of their engineers and analyses the limitations of their adaptive strategies. The paper argues that mutual adaptation and organizational learning can have only limited effect in accommodating some of the fundamental differences between the partner firms many of which are closely interwoven with diversity in national institutions and societal contexts. It also argues that ‘integration’ and ‘acculturation’ do not really address the full range of the problems. Inter-firm diversity, although conflict-inducing, is also a source of competitive advantage for the partnership. Firms engaged in global collaboration must face the persistent tension between the need to preserve their core strengths and the pressure for global adaptation.     

Understanding sustainable development flexibility: An information perspective

Although flexibility has been considered critical in responding to uncertainty in a business environment, few studies have explored firms' flexibility in sustainable development. To understand the nature of firms that can respond better to uncertainty in their sustainable development practices, this study defines sustainable development flexibility and investigates the mechanism underlying its formation. The study proposes a conceptual framework on the interactions of managers' environmental attitude and cognitive style, as well as firms' information integration on sustainable development flexibility. A questionnaire survey was developed to test the corresponding hypotheses, and 241 valid responses were received from middle- and top-level managers in Chinese firms. The results show that (a) the higher the manager's environmental attitude, the higher the firm's information integration and greater sustainable supply chain flexibility, and (b) the more intuitive the manager's cognitive style, the greater the impact of environmental attitude on sustainable development flexibility.     

影响供应链伙伴关系长久持续的因素分析

作为供应链管理的重要组成部分,供应链伙伴关系成为越来越多企业关注的焦点,能否建立长期稳定的伙伴关系成为决定供应链是否成功实施的关键。通过对影响供应链伙伴关系长久持续的各种因素的对比分析,发现信任关系、企业声誉、长期目标、供应链文化、组织结构和欺骗成本是其中最主要的影响因素。这些因素无论在软件还是硬件上都对供应链伙伴关系的稳定有着重大的影响,通过格力、海尔和国美的案例可以充分证明。     

Identifying some major determinants of entrepreneurial partnership, using a confounded factorial conjoint choice experiment

Many small businesses fail before their fifth anniversary, with proportionally more minority owned businesses failing than others. The bulk of these failing entities is often organized in the form of sole proprietorship, while sound business partnerships could potentially be conducive to better prospective entrepreneurships. The objective of this study was to evaluate the importance of prospective partners’ characteristics, on the willingness of business respondents to become business partners. In the process, we used a confounded factorial conjoint choice experimental design. We found “Values sharing”, “Term orientation”, and “Community membership” to be among the most influential factors for the determination of entrepreneurial partnership. The effect direction of “shared-attributes” suggested a central need for complementary diversity in the process of sound business partnership formation. Respondents were more likely to partner with technically skilled prospective partners, than with managerially skilled ones. White respondents displayed more of a preference for business partners who did not share their values, compared to their Black counterparts. The confounded factorial conjoint choice experiment approach used in this study proved to be a helpful tool for investigating factors that influence sound business partnership formation.     

Beyond win–win: A syncretic theory on corporate stakeholder engagement in sustainable development

This article explores the concept of syncretism to articulate the construct of a novel theoretical approach that may help to accelerate progress in developing substantively more sustainable business activities. One reason why the integration of environmental and social responsibility in business has been so difficult to achieve in practice is that it is not just a battle of competing business logics but a battle of faiths. The concept of syncretism, with its roots in religious synthesis, may be far more relevant and useful than conventional approaches to combining the two, which rarely seem to rise above a “win–win” appeal to logic. The connectionist logic of syncretism may show us a way beyond paradigmatic conformity in business sustainability research so that scholars with diverse theoretical backgrounds might have a common ground for discussion, find constructive connections, and engage in potentially more insightful and creative interactions to develop our understanding of corporate sustainability.     

Accountability of NGOs in Bangladesh A critical overview

NGOs in Bangladesh have been recognized as effective change agents in the socio-economic arena throughout the world. Their contributions in micro credit, non-formal education and primary health care are widely known. NGOs play a significant role in society. NGO accountability, as a result, has become a critical issue. NGO accountability in Bangladesh has been examined here in relation to patrons, clients and themselves. Of the three relationships only accountability to patrons is in a near satisfactory state. Accountability to clients is handicapped by lack of opportunities of beneficiaries to participate meaningfully in NGO policy making. Accountability to themselves is adversely affected due to the adherence to a strictly hierarchical system and the influence of founding and charismatic NGO leaders.