Organisation Actors

One management system that has received relatively little systematic attention is human resources management. The existing research about assessing human resources is sparse, focuses on the private sector, and fails to converge upon a set of criteria for evaluating human resources management systems comprehensively. An empirical analysis measures human resources management capacity and controls for two key environmental contingencies: unionization and government structure - found that higher capacity governments are able to achieve better human resources outcomes, and that more unionized governments and those that lack a senior professional administrative officer generally have lower human resources management capacity.

Unionizations also emerged in the formation of Non governmental Organisations as visible manifestation of society’s recognition of poor actions on the part of governments to solve major problems by legislation or command. They are also a reflection of the realisation that people can achieve more by acting together for a common cause or interest than by leaving it to the actions of governments or individuals. This is increasingly due to the reason that traditional forms of socialisation and their relation to politics, most obviously in trade unions, have largely disappeared. Today, one significant trend is individualisation, increasing social mobility and a decline in political involvement from general society.

Intensifying the role of NGOs is seen by states and international actors as the panacea. Scholars also have argued that NGOs may be less constrained in terms of their legal mandates and political considerations, hence better prepared to engage in the mobilization and organization of marginalized groups, and to establish new instruments and channels through which individuals and groups can strengthen their participation in the economic and political sphere.

The rise of NGOs, which Castells calls neo-governmental organisations due to significant funding by the state (if indirect), has also meant a transfer of moral authority particularly in terms of social trust in politics and putting in place checks and balances.

However, NGOs tend to have a weak base of evidence about what works and what does not, lacking assessment tools and produce a lot of reports and paper which often makes little difference to the quality of their work. Lack of resources and feedbacks weaken accountability, legitimacy and learning and capability to practice changes effectively. Some of the good practice that emerged from recent work on impact assessment is the need to ensure that processes are kept simple, relevant and useful. They also underline the need to align organisational incentives with learning, and adapt in the light of that learning. Further challenge is to build on individual competency which means developing and adapting management systems and processes so that they too evolve in the light of what we are learning about them. This requires an ability to scan what is going on ‘outside’ of the organisation and become more porous to the political, economic and social processes in which what we do is immersed (Oxfam GB, 2005).

NGOs are going through the passage of identity crisis due to formation of increasing number of various types of organisations, namely:

The primary group known as GONGOs; those set up by governmental stakeholders. The formation of GONGOs in some cases was merely to take advantage of governmental rents and subsidies through their participation in the State projects.

The second group known as PONGOs, wearing NGOs outfit they were established by different political wings and parties. Campaigning in NGO’s constituency to further promote their political objectives, and siding with certain political parties to win election campaigns.

The third group could be called as BUNGOs, so called non governmental organization aiming merely at making profit. They appeared as non governmental to take advantage of opportunities available for NGOs. Several, attempt to take advantages for keeping silence as they get hold of information in relation to some corrupted members of the public and private sectors, rather than disclose the abuse.

Amid this confusion, the major issue facing NGOs is the concept of remaining non governmental and staying independent. The uncertainties surrounding the concept of remaining “non governmental” and “independent”, are subject of debates among NGO actors.


Sources:

Amy Kneedler Donahue, Sally Coleman Selden and Patricia W. Ingraham, 2006, Measuring Government Management Capacity: A Comparative Analysis of City Human Resources Management Systems, Oxford Journal

Chris Roche, 2001, Linking micro and macro? Lessons from NGO impact assessment,Oxfam GB, www.oxfam.org.uk

Tom Ogg, Politics and Power in the Network Society, LSE Miliband Public Lecture, London, 18 March 2004,
http://users.ox.ac.uk/~thehive

Anthony Adair, 1999, Code Of Conduct For NGOs, a Necessary Reform, Institute of Economic Affairs, IEA
http://www.iea.org.uk/record.jsp?type=article&ID=1