LanguageTerm (authority = ISO 639-3:2007); (type = text)
English
Abstract (type = abstract)
Collaboration has become a common way for nonprofit organizations to address important social and economic issues facing communities. The form of governance of a collaborative network, which involves coordinating and guiding its participants’ actions, represents a critical feature that shapes the ability of the network to achieve its goals. However, little is known about the factors that influence the adoption of a particular form of network governance (e.g., a centralized form over a non-centralized form, the specific forms of centralized governance), and little is understood about how the form of governance influences network outcomes.
In response, this study examined these questions using a mixed-methods approach involving in-depth semi-structured interviews together with a large-n survey of collaborative networks in the Foundation Center’s Nonprofit Collaboration Database. A total of 20 semi-structured interviews with network representatives provided a nuanced understanding of network governance and outcomes and helped refine the research questions and hypotheses. An original survey of 177 representatives of nonprofit networks allowed for the statistical analysis of the patterns of collaboration governance and outcomes as well as the testing of hypotheses derived from the literature review and interviews.
The survey results demonstrate the pervasiveness of a centralized form of governance, with almost equal adoption of either a lead organization or an administrative organization, across the collaborative networks studied. The research revealed contextual factors and network characteristics with significant influences on the adoption of a centralized form over a non-centralized form of governance, an administrative organization form over a lead organization form of centralized governance, and the involvement of member organizations in governance. The results show that networks with centralized governance are more successful in achieving goals compared to networks with non-centralized governance. The study also found that networks governed by a central organization with greater member involvement in governance achieve higher levels of social capital, collaborative learning, and progress toward goals in comparison to those with less member involvement.
This dissertation contributes new evidence about collaborative governance in the nonprofit sector, the adoption of centralized and non-centralized forms of network governance, and the achievement of collaboration outcomes.
Subject (authority = RUETD)
Topic
Public Administration (SPAA)
RelatedItem (type = host)
TitleInfo
Title
Rutgers University Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Identifier (type = RULIB)
ETD
RelatedItem (type = host)
TitleInfo
Title
Graduate School - Newark Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Identifier (type = local)
rucore10002600001
Identifier
ETD_10926
Identifier (type = doi)
doi:10.7282/t3-3mhj-se69
PhysicalDescription
Form (authority = gmd)
InternetMediaType
application/pdf
InternetMediaType
text/xml
Extent
1 online resource (x, 214 pages)
Note (type = degree)
Ph.D.
Note (type = bibliography)
Includes bibliographical references
Location
PhysicalLocation (authority = marcorg); (displayLabel = Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey)
I hereby grant to the Rutgers University Libraries and to my school the non-exclusive right to archive, reproduce and distribute my thesis or dissertation, in whole or in part, and/or my abstract, in whole or in part, in and from an electronic format, subject to the release date subsequently stipulated in this submittal form and approved by my school. I represent and stipulate that the thesis or dissertation and its abstract are my original work, that they do not infringe or violate any rights of others, and that I make these grants as the sole owner of the rights to my thesis or dissertation and its abstract. I represent that I have obtained written permissions, when necessary, from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis or dissertation and will supply copies of such upon request by my school. I acknowledge that RU ETD and my school will not distribute my thesis or dissertation or its abstract if, in their reasonable judgment, they believe all such rights have not been secured. I acknowledge that I retain ownership rights to the copyright of my work. I also retain the right to use all or part of this thesis or dissertation in future works, such as articles or books.