Sustainability framework
via systems theory
Blog #4: Sustainability framework
Now that we know the 3 BIG predictors of sustainability (community ownership, strategic partnership, and staff/volunteer training and development), what’s next? Some sort of guideline for putting it to good use would be great. In scholarly practice, a theory is enlisted to help explain the organizational phenomenon of interest. The phenomenon in this case being the sustainability of non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
What exactly is a theory? According to the Oxford Dictionary, a theory is a “supposition or a system of ideas intended to explain something, especially one based on general principles independent of the thing to be explained[1].” Theories are simply a set of statements or ideas formulated to explain facts or phenomena. In the case of our subject matter, a theory is enlisted to help explain the organizational sustainability phenomenon, using a set of statement, which in this case are the most salient predictive factors that have been identified.
Systems theory. Organizational sustainability can be explained through the lens of Katz and Kahn’s systems theory[2]. The theory is an open social system that actively interact with the environment, while considering other extraneous factors that affect the main system. The “system” (organization) receive input, which is processed by the throughput, that then yields an output, all the while gathering feedback at every step.
A systems theory theoretical framework (adapted from Lemark, Henderson, & Wenger, 2004 [3])
A conceptual model is developed out of the systems theory to give us a better understanding of the organizational sustainability phenomenon. It outlines the possible course of action or mechanism to arriving at the phenomenon, and as such, includes the BIG 3 predictors of organizational sustainability.
Conceptual model based on Katz and Kahn’s 1978 systems theory including “the BIG 3 predictors.”
The proposed conceptual model should be interpreted as follows:
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Input: these are factors external to the organization that are found to have an impact on sustainability. Based on the systematic review conducted, we include the main community-level factor, community ownership, as the system’s main input;
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Throughput: these are the internal process of an organization and are within control of the system, or organization. The two main factors identified by the review, strategic partnership, and staff/volunteer training and development, are included here;
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Output: here lies the main output of interest, organizational sustainability;
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Environment: these are the factors that challenge sustainability, the highly coveted outcome of interest. They include the threats identified in the review as follows; negative financial prospects, absence of strong leadership and sound administrative processes, and the inability of NGOs to collaborate with stakeholders.
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Feedback: this is gathered as every step of the way. An example would be how to strengthen the systems final outcome of sustainable organization. The success or failure of having a sustainable organization feeds into decisions made about the kind of effort one puts into the “input,” i.e., community members who drive community ownership. The system may want to focus on continuing what they are doing and strengthening those effects along those lines. Alternatively, an organization that’s experiencing problems with sustainability would feedback a different course of action that would help them enhance their community ownership priority that now feeds into the rest of the system.
These series of blogs have addressed the question, addressed through the lens of the systems theory, of what factors are predictive of local NGO sustainability in developing countries. We found that community ownership, strategic partners, and staff training and development are the most prominent predictors of organizational sustainability. Identifying these main predictors of sustainability will help funding organizations and program managers determine the capacity building or capacity strengthening support they need to render to respective organizations in order to foster more sustainable efforts in realizing their missions.
With these findings, we can begin the dialogue around how to leverage key sustainability factors for the mutual success of the NGOs, through sustained organizations, and also funding organization success, which would be evidenced by the lasting legacy they would be leaving behind.
Biggest contribution to funding entities: more responsible use of funds and more sustained efforts towards realizing the organization’s mission and continued legacy
Biggest contribution to NGOs in developing countries: sustained service provision in the communities where they serve, potentially result in improved healthcare, more informed and politically engaged citizens etc.
[2] Katz, D., & Kahn, R. L. (1978). The social psychology of organizations. New York, NY: John Wiley.
[3] Lemark, D. J., Henderson, P. W., & Wenger, M. S. (2004). A new look at organizational transformation using systems theory: An application to federal contractors. Journal of Business & Management, 9(4).