Values as a distinguishing element in nonprofits

ww

w.t

erc

ers

ect

or.

org

.es

Pau Vidal and Laia Grabulosa

12th July 2008

ISTR – 8th International Conference

2

Observatorio del Tercer Sector

Observatorio del Tercer Sector is an independent and

nonprofit research center specialized in third sector. Its aim

is to deepen and increase the knowledge on the sector and

to work for improvement of the nonprofit organizations

management.

3

What does the values mean?

Wide concept with many considerations…

Ideals and beliefs that orient and guide people through their actions and their attitudes.

Personal Social Organizational

The focus of this study are values expressed by the nonprofit organizations, values that are present in the organization to achieve their mission and vision.

…

4

The importance of the values

Values…

… are present in the core of the existence of nonprofit organizations

… are the base of the construction and management of the organizational culture.

… are strongly related with the mission

… direct the activities of the organization

… affect not only the kind of activities the organization carries out but also how it carries them out: how the organization works.

The presence and importance of values constitute one of the elements that make the difference between nonprofit organizations and enterprises or public institutions.

Values in the daily life of organizations

Values

Systems – organizational

structure

Policies

Daily practices

Coherence !!

5

Sharing the values

• Internal communication is strategic in order to share and make the values acknowledged in the organization.

• Importance to make the values visible to others (internally and externally)

• Contribute to build a strong organizational culture

• Promote the internal participation

• Create commitments among people involved in the organizational performance (staff, volunteering, stakeholders, medias, society in general)

6

How make them visible?

Web sites

Public activities

Meetings, conferences, …Annual report

Publications

Strategic planning, ethical code, …

Etc

There must be a close relation between the expressed values, the activities, and the public attitudes.

7

About the study

• Revision of 326 web sites and other public materials of spanish organizations

• Analysis of the values expressed in these organizations

An approach to the expressed organizational values

More than 200 different values identified

From this point…

1. We established different groups of values

2. We found 4 categories of values

8

4 categories of values

OrganizationalDescribe the operative of the organizations and how the activity is structured

SocialDescribe what is the organizational vision of the society

Way of workingGuide interventions and how the organization works. It also indicate the kind of interaction with members, partners, stakeholders, etc.

Personal developmentLinked to the personal attitudes and behaviors

9

1) Organizational values

Independence

Non profit

Volunteering

Social initiative

Impartiality

Representativity

…

31%As the capacity to act depending on organizational principles, mission and values. This organizational independence includes independence of thinking and opinion, moral, political or financial.

26% The essential specificity of the third sector organizations lies in its own definition.

10

2) Way of work values

24%As the way to create a committed citizenship for the society transformation

15% Related to organizational accountability

Participation

Transparency

Networking

QualityCoherenceIndividual treatmentProfessionalismCollaborationResponsibilityInnovation...

15% Is a more and more common practice that becomes a value in order to increase efficiency and create synergies to secure the goals

11

3) Personal development values

13%Respect is a value that refers to the regard and the recognition of qualities and characteristics of the individuals and the society.

11% Refers to the degree of implication towards the mission of organization

Respect

Commitment

Dignity

Critical attitude

Defence of Human Rights

...

12

4) Social values

26%Conscience of collective responsibility

13% Search and defend same opportunities and rights for all people.

Solidarity

Equality

Sustainability

Democracy

Pluralism

Transformation

Trust

Equity

Progress

Tolerance

…

11% The capacity to maintain the organization activity in order to secure the mission

13

14

Some final reflections

Nonprofit organizations are making efforts to show their values as a way to express their identity…

… but, much more can be done on this field.

Challenges:

• Make more visible the organizational values

• COHERENCE : nonprofits should secure the coherence between their values, their mission and their daily practices

Values as a distinguishing element in nonprofits

ww

w.t

erc

ers

ect

or.

org

.es

Pau Vidal and Laia Grabulosa

12th July 2008

ISTR – 8th International Conference