Come Together? Different Pathways to International NGO Centralization

The internal structures of international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) are determined through political processes, yet the growing literature focuses overwhelmingly on their external effects. We explore the factors that shape the choice of NGOs to come together to become INGOs by advancing...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:International Studies Review 2013-06, Vol.15 (2), p.163-184
Main Authors: Stroup, Sarah S., Wong, Wendy H.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
ANALYTICAL ESSAYS: EVALUATION, SYNTHESIS, REFLECTIONS
Centralization
Children
Development
Effectiveness
Employment interviews
Funding
Governance
Human rights
International nongovernmental organizations
International Organizations
International political organizations
International politics
Legitimacy
NGOs
Non-governmental organizations
Nongovernmental Organizations
Nonprofit organizations
Organizational Structure
Power
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The internal structures of international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) are determined through political processes, yet the growing literature focuses overwhelmingly on their external effects. We explore the factors that shape the choice of NGOs to come together to become INGOs by advancing and testing a series of claims about why and how INGOs centralize their organizational structures. We explicitly draw upon well-established theories of institutional design from the field of international organization (IO), bringing together two previously unconnected literatures. In theory, functional need, the relative power of different actors, the need for legitimacy, and the demands of donors might all shape INGO centralization. The cases of Oxfam and Save the Children, two leading relief and development INGOs, suggest that centralization is shaped by powerful members of NGO families that seek first to maximize their interests and maintain their legitimacy, while also improving their effectiveness.
ISSN:1521-9488
1468-2486
DOI:10.1111/misr.12022