A Review of Organizational Effectiveness in NGOs

Abstract

The paper discussed the effectiveness of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and discussed various models of organizational effectiveness (OE) that have been applied in NGOs. Furthermore, different viewpoints that emerged from research over the past four decades are synthesized. The review of models and research studies revealed little agreement among the academic community to conceptualize NGO effectiveness. While early studies focused on the assessment of NGO effectiveness highlighted organizational goals, contemporary studies focused on the processes that contribute to NGO effectiveness. Most of the studies found the governing board as a common dimension of NGO effectiveness. The paper conceptualized NGO effectiveness as a multi-dimensional social construct with an ability to achieve an organizational mission through a competent governing board, strong NGO-employee relationship, and efficient financial measures. The paper concluded that it is difficult to develop a universal standard definition of NGO effectiveness because NGOs work on diverse themes, issues, scales, and approaches. On the basis of the analysis, it is suggested that future research on NGO effectiveness should focus on specific cultures, focus, and scale of NGOs.