The potential for management development in NGO‐private sector partnerships

• Velamuri, S. Ramakrishna 
• Borwankar, Anjaney 

Indexed by

Scopus ABDC-C

Abstract

Purpose
–　The　purpose　of　this　paper　is　to　study　the　potential　for　management　development　in　non‐governmental　organization　(NGO)‐private　sector　partnerships.

Design/methodology/approach
–　The　paper　is　an　in‐depth　case　study　of　a　program　run　by　the　British　subsidiary　of　a　large　European　financial　services　company　that　had　sent　60　middle　and　senior　managers　and　two　external　consultants　over　a　ten‐year　period　(1994‐2004)　on　capacity　building　assignments　to　nine　NGO　partners　in　southern　India.　Questionnaires,　interviews　and　archives　of　the　program　were　the　sources　of　data.

Findings
–　The　study　finds　that　assignees　described　the　effect　of　the　assignments　on　them　as　profound,　some　as　transformational.　Managers　completed　the　capacity　building　assignments　successfully　and　returned　with　greater　self‐awareness　and　enhanced　self‐confidence,　and　with　a　greater　ability　to　handle　ambiguity　and　uncertainty.　Based　on　the　input　provided　by　the　NGO　partners,　they　also　benefited　from　the　assignments.　However,　the　benefits　to　the　private　sector　company　(financial　services　organization)　are　not　clear　from　the　study.

Research　limitations/implications
–　This　theoretical　contribution　is　situated　in　the　literature　on　self‐awareness　and　proposes　management　development　as　a　viable　objective　in　NGO‐private　sector　partnerships.　Limitations　of　generalizing　from　a　single　case　study　are　acknowledged　and　future　research　avenues　identified.

Practical　implications
–　The　ten‐year　experience　of　a　large　European　multi‐national　organization　of　partnering　with　nine　Indian　NGOs　highlights　rich　potential　for　management　development　in　such　partnerships,　through　the　development　of　self‐awareness　and　self‐confidence　of　key　managerial　talent.　The　circumstances　under　which　such　interventions　might　be　appropriate　are　suggested.

Originality/value
–　To　the　authors＇　knowledge,　the　potential　for　management　development　in　NGO‐private　sector　partnerships　has　been　under‐studied　in　the　academic　literature.　The　authors　believe　that　the　paper　offers　interesting　insights　and　suggests　further　avenues　for　exploration.

Keyword

• Corporate social responsibility
• India
• Management development
• Non‐governmental organizations
• Partnership
• Private sector organizations

Author Community

Strategy and Entrepreneurship

Related Article

• Drivers and customer satisfaction outcomes of CSR in supply chains in different institutional contexts A comparison between China and Taiwan

  2016，International Marketing Review

• Marketing spending, firm visibility, and asymmetric stock returns of corporate social responsibility strengths and concerns

  2016，European Journal of Marketing

• Selling to the urban Chinese in East Asia: Do CSR and value orientation matter?

  2013，Journal of Business Research

• Are prosocially motivated employees more committed to their organization? The roles of supervisors' prosocial motivation and perceived corporate social responsibility

  2017，Asia Pacific Journal of Management