The governance of public and non-profit organisations / edited by Chris Cornforth.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Cornforth, Chris.

Series:

Routledge studies in the management of voluntary and non-profit organizations ; 6.

Routledge studies in the management of voluntary and non-profit organizations

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Corporate governance.

Nonprofit organizations--Management.

Nonprofit organizations.

Directors of corporations.

Boards of directors.

Physical Description:

x, 259 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm.

Other Title:

Goverance of public and non-profit organizations

Place of Publication:

London [England] ; New York [NY] : Routledge, 2006.

Summary:

Boards play a crucial role in ensuring that public and non-profit organisations are publicly accountable and perform well. Following various failures and scandals they face increasing scrutiny, pressure and expectations. Serious questions have been raised about the ability of boards to govern effectively.

Such concerns have stimulated a renewed interest in organisational governance, and a growing literature on the subject. Much of the current literature, however, has been criticised for underestimating the constraints and conflicting demands that boards face and recommending unrealistic solutions. There have been relatively few detailed empirical studies of what boards do in practice. The Governance of Public and Non-Profit Organisations fills that gap by bringing together analyses based upon some of the best recent empirical studies of public and non-profit governance in the UK.

Using a new theoretical framework that highlights the paradoxical nature of governance, this book throws light on the questions at the heart of recent debates about public and non-profit boards: Are boards publicly accountable or is there a democratic deficit?, Are boards able to exercise real power or does management run the show? What do boards do? Are they effective stewards of an organisation's resources? Can they play a meaningful role in setting organisational strategy? What impact are regulatory and other changes designed to improve board effectiveness having?

The book is essential reading for academics and students with an interest in the governance and management of public and non-profit organisations. It will also be of value to policy-makers and practitioners who wish to gain a deeper understanding of how boards work and what can be done to improve their performance.

Contents:

Introduction: the changing context of governance - emerging issues and paradoxes / Chris Cornforth 1

Part I Who governs? 21

1 Who governs North East England? A regional perspective on governance / Fred Robinson, Keith Shaw 23

2 Are quasi-governmental organisations effective and accountable? / Alan Greer, Paul Hoggett, Stella Maile 40

3 Service users and charity governance / Michael Locke, Nasa Begum, Paul Robson 57

Part II What do boards do? 75

4 What influences the strategic contribution of boards? / Charles Edwards, Chris Cornforth 77

5 The financial role of charity boards / Jenny Harrow, Paul Palmer 97

6 The role of boards in small voluntary organisations / Colin Rochester 115

Part III Roles, relationships and power 131

7 Not so very different: a comparison of the roles of chairs of governing bodies and managers in different sectors / Shirley Otto 133

8 What are chief executives' expectations and experiences of their board? / Veronica Mole 150

9 Governing independent museums: how trustees and directors exercise their powers / Mike Bieber 164

Part IV Continuity and change 185

10 The changing face of charity governance: the impact of organisational size / Chris Cornforth, Claire Simpson 187

11 The impact of new governance structures in the NHS / Lynn Ashburner 207

12 The changing face of governance in women's organisations / Jane W. Grant 221

13 Conclusion: contextualising and managing the paradoxes of governance / Chris Cornforth 237.

Notes:

"First published 2003. Transferred to digital printing 2006"--T.p. verso.

ISBN:

0415359929

9780415359924

OCLC:

263591437