A Contingency View of the Responses of Voluntary Social Service Organizations in Ontario to Government Cutbacks
2009
Voluntary organizations in Ontario have been thrust into a new environment; government funding on which they have traditionally counted has been reduced to the extent that actions have to be taken in order for some organizations to survive. Using a sample of 85 from a mailed survey to voluntary social service organizations in Toronto, we collected information on how organizational characteristics are influencing the actions taken in the face of these changes. We found that the alternatives considered factored into five dimensions: enhancing the image of the organization; cutting costs; developing strategic plans and accountability; implementing new tactics, such as user fees; and restructuring the governance and management structure. Analysis showed that younger organizations, smaller-sized agencies, and those with a diverse set of funding sources employ a wider range of options to deal with environmental challenges. Many of these options are directed at protecting the main mission of the organization and building awareness and marketing strength so that the organization reduces its susceptibility to environmental shifts.
Resume
Les organismes de benevolat de l'Ontario sont plonges dans un nouveau contexte, car les subventions gouvernementales sur lesquelles ils comptaient jusqu'a present sont reduites a un point tel que des mesures doivent etre prises afin qu'ils puissent survivre. Un sondage effectue par la poste aupres de 85 organismes de services sociaux benevoles de Toronto nous a permis de rassembler des donnees montrant que certaines caracteristiques organisationnelles peuvent influencer les mesures a prendre face a de tels changements, et nous avons envisage cinq solutions possibles pour remedier a la situation: rehausser l'image de ces organismes; reduire leurs couts; mettre sur pied certaines strategies et rendre compte de leurs activites; utiliser de nouvelles tactiques, tels des frais d'utilisation; ainsi qu'en restructurer l'administration et la gestion. Il ressort de cette analyse que les organismes plus recents et de plus petite taille ainsi que ceux beneficiant de sources de financement plus variees peuvent utiliser un plus vaste ventail d'options pour contrer les difficultes que presente la conjoncture actuelle. La plupart de ces possibilites visent a preserver la mission principale de ces organismes et a renforcer leur vision et leur politique de marketing afin de reduire leur vulnerabilite face a tout changement conjoncturel.
Keywords:
- Correction
- Source
- Cite
- Save
- Machine Reading By IdeaReader
42
References
30
Citations
NaN
KQI