Operations of cost-effective charities: a qualitative study
International Journal of Operations & Production Management
ISSN: 0144-3577
Article publication date: 1 August 2023
Issue publication date: 26 April 2024
Abstract
Purpose
People donate to charities with the aim of improving society. Yet, many charities fail to use donations efficiently or have ineffective interventions. The authors explore the strategic operational priorities and processes that enable charities to efficiently implement their interventions and have a positive impact on society.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors first review the literature on charities to gain a deeper understanding of the current state of knowledge on charity operations. The authors then employ the lens of paradox theory and perform a qualitative investigation of six case studies to explore various aspects of the operations of charities that are known for being cost-effective.
Findings
The authors reveal how the strategic operational decisions of charities, as well as the processes they implement, help them resolve the tensions arising from the cost-effectiveness paradox. The authors show that cost-effective charities make strategic operational decisions that help maintain two diverging priorities: prioritizing the status quo and prioritizing change in how they deliver value. Another set of strategic decisions helps balance these two diverging priorities. The authors then show how these charities create and then maintain cost-effective operations.
Originality/value
The authors address recent calls for research on non-profit organizations in the field of operations management. To authors’ knowledge, it is the first in-depth study of exemplary charity operations. The results can be used by charity executives as a benchmarking tool when they develop and implement their charitable interventions and by government agencies and potential donors when they select charities for their donations. Finally, the results should have implications for other organizations trying to have a positive societal impact.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This research was supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada 430-2020-01047.
Citation
Shevchenko, A., Hajmohammad, S. and Pagell, M. (2024), "Operations of cost-effective charities: a qualitative study", International Journal of Operations & Production Management, Vol. 44 No. 5, pp. 1054-1082. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOPM-11-2022-0755
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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