By Garin November 2nd, 2007
The
discussion of the nonprofit readings will take place online here, with Garin and Jim leading.
By Thursday Nov 2 - Garin and Jim post brief summaries of the readings in the seminar discussion forum, including discussion questions or thought-starters if they have them.
By Wednesday Nov 7 - First discussion round; everyone posts one response to the readings, including thoughts, comments, questions, concerns, etc.
By Monday Nov 12 - Second discussion round; read what your colleagues have posted and post a response, additional thoughts, etc.
Readings (available online and/or on CTools and as hard copy near GSI mailboxes, West Hall):
Notes: Peter Drucker, Managing the non-profit organization.
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Drucker non-profit discussion
Drucker makes many interesting assertions about how non-profits should run to be successful--assertions that at a glance seem to echo a lot of the activities of the for-profit world: defining results, marketing effectively, enacting action-focused strategies, syncing goals to original mission, innovating, attending to constituencies, communicating effectively, and satisfying funding sources.
More clearly, Drucker writes, "The whole point of strategy is not to look at recipients as people who receive bounty, to whom the non-profit does good. They are customers who have to be satisfied (99)."
Drucker futher says, "It is not enough for non-profits to say: We serve a need. The really good ones create a want" (108).
We need to take what we can from these statements without getting bogged down with too much business-speak. Drucker does a good job of showing that the operations of non-profits and regular market entities are not that different. Non-profits should use these guidelines to focus on their respective mission, and eschew a consumptive environment associated with the for-profit world.