Determinants of non-profit commercialism. Resource deficits, institutional pressures or organizational contingencies?. Issue 10 (3rd October 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Suykens, Ben; George, Bert; De Rynck, Filip; Verschuere, Bram
• Is Part Of: Public management review. Volume 23:Issue 10(2021)
• Page Start: 1456
• Page End: 1478
• Publication Date: 2021-10-03
• Subjects: Commercialism -- non-profit organization -- non-profit management; Local government -- Periodicals; Public administration -- Periodicals; 351.05
• DOI: 10.1080/14719037.2020.1764083
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1471-9037

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Resource competition is assumed to encourage commercial behaviour by publically funded non-profit organizations (NPOs). However, this widespread assumption falls short as empirical findings remain equivocal. In this study, we theorize that non-profit commercialism can indeed emerge from resource deficits but also from institutional pressures and organizational contingencies. Using logistic regression analyses on two-wave survey data of Flemish NPOs, we explain the presence, intensity and nature of non-profit commercialism. While resource dependency indeed explains the presence and extent of non-profit commercialism, we find that institutional pressures and organizational contingencies also have a role to play.