Searching for Organizational Effectiveness by Examining Financial Vulnerability and Nonprofit Failure
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Date
2009-06
Authors
Matthiesen, Jessica Anne, 1974-
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Oregon
Abstract
Scholarly consensus is lacking on how to understand and assess nonprofit
organizational effectiveness, which is further compounded by the absence of a universal
nonprofit effectiveness measure applicable to all agencies. However, nonprofits that fail
to remain functioning as an organization are considered to be among the least effective.
Researchers have identified several factors contributing to nonprofit failure, with
financial difficulties among the most frequently cited. Four specific measures of
financially vulnerable nonprofits have been identified and tested on a limited basis. This
research sought to build on previous work by assessing the financial vulnerability ofan
unexamined group ofnonprofits, "Food Banks, Food Pantries," and testing the utility of
the measures in predicting organization failure. Food Banks are determined to be structurally different than previously examined nonprofit sub-sectors, leading to reduced
applicability of the financial vulnerability measures. However, insufficient equity
balance is still found to be predicative of nonprofit failure.
Description
ix, 30 p. A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number.
Keywords
Nonprofit organizations