Locations of Decision Makers in Membership Organizations

• Author: Mary Tschirhart,Nadeen H. Makhlouf,Khaldoun AbouAssi
• Published date: 01 December 2017
• Date: 01 December 2017
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1002/nml.21272

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N M  L, vol. 28, no. 2, Winter 2017 © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com) DOI: 10.1002/nml.21272

Journal sponsored by the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University.

Correspondence to: Khaldoun AbouAssi, American University, School of Public Aff airs, Department of Public

Administration and Policy, 4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Ward Circle Building, Room 343, Washington, DC

20016–8070. Email: abouassi@american.edu.

Research Note

Locations of Decision Makers in

Membership Organizations

LESSONS FROM LEBANON

Khaldoun AbouAssi , 1 Mary Tschirhart ,2 Nadeen H. Makhlouf 1

1 American University , 2  e Ohio State University

Few studies have theorized and empirically tested variation in location of decision making

in NGOs and relationship of decision location choices to accountability dimensions. Using

a sample of Lebanese NGOs legally registered as membership organizations, we examine if

their budget size and level of member dues, along with dependence on donors interested in

democratic governance, predict who participates in their decision-making process through

involvement in preparing and formally approving the annual budget, financial records,

and work plan. Our study reveals the reality of shared leadership in these organizations

and suggests the value of considering the location of decision making for NGO leaders and

the government regulators and funders who wish to encourage democratic processes within

membership organizations.

Keywords: Organizations , governance , accountability , decision making , NGO

THERE IS LIMITED research on decision making in membership organizations, a subgroup of

nonprofi t and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) with a formal structure and members

who are not fi nancially remunerated (Lansley 1996 ; Tschirhart and Gazley 2014 ).  ese organ-

izations pursue mutual benefi t and instrumental ends, but many also produce public benefi ts.

For this study, we focus on how, if at all, members in membership organizations are involved

in decisions related to key organizational documents: annual budgets, work plans, and finan-

cial records. Is it the membership as a whole through a membership assembly, member repre-

sentatives through committees or service on the governance board, the executive director, or

staff who make decisions for these documents? We focus on the organizational chart positions

of those filling specific decision roles in specific domains rather than on individual personali-

ties as a way to see if shared leadership processes are institutionalized within an organization

and if there is some degree of formalized democratic decision making involving members.

Preparers and approvers of annual budgets, plans, and financial records assume responsi-

bilities related to Brody ’ s ( 2001 ) accountability dimensions: fiscal responsibility, good gover-

nance, adherence to mission, and program effectiveness. Participation in the preparation and