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Strategy and Structure in Managing Global Associations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2026

Dennis R. Young,
Bonnie L. Koenig,
Adil Najam and
Julie Fisher
Dennis R. Young*
Affiliation:
Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
Bonnie L. Koenig
Affiliation:
Going International, Chicago, Illinois
Adil Najam
Affiliation:
Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
Julie Fisher
Affiliation:
Kettering Foundation, Dayton, Ohio
*
2Correspondence should be directed to Dennis R. Young, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106-7164; e-mail: dry2@po.cwru.edu.
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Abstract

A key aspect of civil society worldwide is the emergence of thousands of nongovernmental organizations that operate on a global scale. The special challenges of organizing and managing these organizations include massive communications problems and the need to accommodate a wide diversity of interests. In this paper, we ask what kinds of organizational structures and management strategies are utilized by globally oriented nongovernmental organizations involved in the development of civil society, and we consider the advantages and disadvantages of alternative structures. From 15 case studies, we find that three principal types of structures are utilized: corporate partnerships, federations, and membership associations. We also find that management challenges are addressed in various creative ways within these structures, and that the federation form appears to be generally effective and avoids some of the risks associated with other forms.

Résumé

Résumé

L’émergence de milliers d’organisations non-gouvernementales qui opèrent au niveau planétaire est l’un des aspect clé de la société civile mondiale. Les problèmes de communication à grande échelle et la nécessité de concilier une large diversité d’intérêts sont les principaux enjeux en terme d’organisation et de management pour ces structures. Dans cet article, nous nous interrogeons sur les différentes sortes de structures organisationnelles et de stratégies de management, qui sont utilisées par les ONG participant au développement mondial de la société civile. Puis, nous considérons les avantages et les désavantages de ces structures alternatives. A partir de 15 études de cas, nous identifions principalement trois catégories de structures: les partenariats d’entreprises, les fédérations, et les associations de membres. Résulte également de notre étude que les formes de management à l’intérieur de ces structures empruntent des directions créatives variées. Enfin, la forme fédérative apparaît être généralement efficace et permet d’éviter certains risques associés aux autres formes d’organisation.

Zusammenfassung

Zusammenfassung

Ein Schlüsselaspekt der Bürgergesellschaft weltweit ist die Entstehung tausender NGO’s, die auf globaler Ebene operieren. Zu den besonderen Herausforderungen bei der Organisation und Führung dieser Verbände gehören massive Kommunikationsprobleme und die Notwendigkeit, eine weite Interessenvielfalt unterzubringen. In diesem Aufsatz gehen wir der Frage nach, welche Arten von Organisationsstrukturen und Managementstrategien von global orientierten NGO’s, die an der Entwicklung der Bürgergesellschaft beteiligt sind, genutzt werden. Wir berücksichtigen auch die Vor-und Nachteile alternativer Strukturen. Uns auf 15 Fallstudien stützend, kommen wir zu dem Ergebnis, daß drei strukturelle Haupttypen verwendet werden-korporative Partnerschaften, Föderationen, und Mitgliedsverbände, daß Führungsprobleme innerhalb dieser Strukturen auf vielfach auf kreative Art und Weise angegangen werden und daß die Föderationsform im allgemeinen effektiv zu sein scheint, während sie jedoch einige der Risiken, die mit anderen Formen verbunden sind, vermeidet.

Resumen

Resumen

Un aspecto clave de la sociedad civil en todo el mundo es la aparición de miles de organizaciones no gubernamentales que operan a escala global. Entre los retos especiales que plantean la organización y la gestión de dichas organizaciones, podemos citar los enormes problemas en las comunicaciones y la necesidad de acomodar a una gran diversidad de intereses. En este artículo preguntamos qué clases de estructuras organizativas y qué estrategias de gestión son utilizadas por las ONGs de orientación global implicadas en el desarrollo de la sociedad civil, y examinamos las ventajas y desventajas de estructuras alternativas. Basándonos en quince estudios de casos reales vemos que se utilizan tres tipos principales de estructuras: sociedades corporativas, federaciones y asociaciones por afiliación; que los retos en la gestión son abordados de distintos modos creativos dentro de dichas estructuras; y que la federación parece resultar una forma generalmente eficaz, a la vez que evita algunos de los riesgos asociados con otros métodos.

Keywords

associationglobalfederationorganizational structurecorporate partnership

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations , Volume 10 , Issue 4 , December 1999, pp. 323 - 343
Copyright
Copyright © 1999 International Society for Third-Sector Research and The Johns Hopkins University

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