OBJECTIVES & QUESTIONS we will
address in the course include:
Understanding various aspects, history
and theories of the nonprofit sector and why nonprofit/community benefit organizations are
significant in social, political and economic terms;
- What
role have nonprofit organizations played in the world and
how has this changed over time?
- What
contributions do nonprofit organizations make to society?
Understand and critically reflect upon
the nature of the links between nonprofit organizations, democracy, governments
and markets, and the implications of these relationships for leadership and
management;
- How
do and should nonprofit organizations interact with government
and market institutions?
- What
are the implications of blurring boundaries among these institutions?
Identify the major human and financial
resources and key management and ethical issues confronting leaders of nonprofit organizations and
learn and practice varying strategies to address these.
- How
does the increasing hybridity of organizations impact governance and management
of nonprofit/community benefit organizations?
- How
can nonprofit organizations best achieve their visions and missions
in the face of competing challenges and opportunities?
COURSE RESOURCES
This semester we will draw upon a
diverse body of resources to support our learning. Some materials come from book
chapters or academic journals. Some readings are professional reports published
on websites or even webcasts. The readings are selected to give you exposure to
both academic and professional materials that represent diverse perspectives.
All readings will be posted on the IS, so that students can easily access the material. There are no required
textbooks – all readings will be accessible online.
COURSE ASSIGNMENTS AND EVALUATION
1. Participation is key to creating a “classroom-as-organizing”
environment. The goal is for each of us to contribute to the course discourse
and enhance the collective’s knowledge.
Therefore, “showing up” each week is
not enough, and participation cannot be made-up. There will be instruction, but
learning also takes place through active engagement with the materials and
interactions with classmates, rather than through passive listening to others.
Therefore, your participation, as an
active learner and contributor to the class, is required.
I encourage you to use the course sessions to not only
to articulate your own assessment of class readings, but also to step out of your
own perspective and consider/propose opposing or creative views. The classroom
should create an environment for civil discussions and respect.
2. Reading Reflections (max 30 points; 5 points each); You must achieve at least 20 points in total.
To ensure that every RR is comprehensive, it should include a synthesis of the main ideas, identification of the primary issues or potential solutions, your opinion on the problem, or an evaluation of the contribution the RR has made to you. Responses that are around 1-3 paragraphs in length (about 250 words total) are acceptable. Please send your RRs via email (or hard copy) before the start of the meeting, which is no later than 2 p.m. every Wednesday. The IS will provide feedback and points.
3. Final paper and presentation.
The final paper for this course should be between 5 to 10 pages long and needs to reflect some of the issues that we have covered throughout the course. If you have any questions about your chosen topic, feel free to consult with me individually. Please make sure to submit your paper by the end of week 9, with the deadline being on December 31, 2024.
For the presentation, we will have three dedicated sessions where you can present partial results or discuss any problems you may encounter while writing your paper. During your presentation, please briefly introduce your topic, explain its importance and necessity, discuss any progress you have made so far, and present any preliminary conclusions you may have. Afterwards, we will discuss your presentation and give you feedback.