Collaboration vs. Competition in the Third Sector
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Date
2008-12-24
Authors
Irvin, Renee A.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
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Abstract
This article delineates a framework for judging the usefulness of collaborative strategy
in the nonprofit/nongovernmental sector. Popular among academicians as well as grant
makers, collaboration among nonprofit organizations is often proposed as the dominant
strategy for curing many of the sector's resource problems. However, competition is
also prevalent in the nonprofit sector, as free entry encourages the nonprofit
entrepreneur to form a new nonprofit to meet a perceived community need. Ignoring
the influence of competitive forces while promoting preferred collaborative strategies
can lead to recommendations for the third sector that are ambitious and wellintentioned,
yet impractical. Primarily theoretical in scope, this article is intended to
inform grant makers and those at the policy making level how to determine the best
situations to encourage collaboration in the sector, and when, surprisingly, to favor
single-organization grant making.
Description
28 pages
Keywords
Nonprofit sector, Grantmaking, Public sector, Collaboration, Competition