Between Power and Irrelevance

Journal of Economic Literature (Volume 59, no. 1) Presents a sectoral analysis of transnational nongovernment organizations (TNGOs), focusing on medium- to large-sized TNGOs founded and based in North America and Western Europe.

Ramesh Kumar Singh Malla, Independent Consultant, former COO, Greenpeace, and former CEO, ActionAid International This a must read for INGO leaders and senior staff of INGOs, particularly in the Global South, so that they can understand what is going on in the power-centres of their INGO organizations [...].

Joao Diniz, Regional Leader, Latin American and the Caribbean Region, World Vision For those of us that acknowledge the critical role of TNGOs to preserve equality, human dignity, justice, environmental balance and solidarity, the comprehensive analysis provided by the authors, deconstructed in key dimensions such as context, organizational grassroots, strategy, governance, leadership and digital transformation is an outstanding tool to redesign the present and future of non-governmental organizations.

Chris Proulx, Global Director, Humentum It is a perfect antidote to the abundance of over-hyped, but paper-thin discussions around the disruption of the global development sector.

Amy Coughenour, President and CEO, Cadasta Foundation It is required reading for practitioners, researchers, policymakers, and those seeking an informed glimpse into the impending forks in the road facing these historically powerful development actors.

Pierre Ferrari, President and CEO, Heifer International This book is a must read for all TNGO practitioners. It is both provocative, and well argued. The questions raised cannot be ignored if authentic impact is sought. Buy it, read it as a group and consider the changes that are truly necessary.

Ashley Bishop, Senior Technical Specialist, Measurement and Evaluation, Winrock Group This book does not disappoint. The authors have clearly drawn from deep research knowledge of this sector, drawing from cases and examples throughout. I highly recommend it for anyone working in transnational NGOs today.

Mary Kay Gugerty, Nancy Bell Evans Professor of Nonprofit Management, University of Washington A provocative and clear-eyed look at the challenges facing transnational non-governmental organizations (NGOs) as they seek to fulfill their ambitious missions while staying relevant and ethical. The book connects to the academic literature but is written for both practitioners and academics in a straightforward and compelling style. The authors have been working with and studying these organizations for many years and their insights are embedded in the real-life dilemmas of these NGOs.

Ed Boswell, Co-Founder and CEO, Conner Advisory By leveraging the extraordinary breadth and depth of their collective experience and research, Mitchell, Schmitz, and Bruno-van Vijfeijken articulate a series of fundamental dilemmas confronting transnational non-governmenta...

George E. Mitchell is an associate professor at the Marxe School of Public and International Affairs at Baruch College, City University of New York and a founding member of the Transnational NGO Initiative at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University. His work examines topics in NGO management, leadership, and strategy. Hans Peter Schmitz is an associate professor at the School of Leadership and Education Sciences at the University of San Diego. He is also a co-founder of the Transnational NGO Initiative at the Maxwell School at Syracuse University. His current research and teaching focus on digital advocacy, human rights, and philanthropy. Tosca Bruno-van Vijfeijken has worked on international development and civil society issues for 30 years in development practice, academia, and as an independent consultant. Before launching her consulting practice, Five Oaks Consulting, she was the director of the Transnational NGO Initiative at the Maxwell School at Syracuse University.

Preface Chapter 1: Confrontation Chapter 2: Soul Chapter 3: Strategy Chapter 4: Power Chapter 5: Legitimacy Chapter 6: Digital Chapter 7: Measurement Chapter 8: Governance Chapter 9: Leadership Chapter 10: Collaboration Chapter 11: Mergers and Acquisitions Chapter 12: Change Afterword by Barney Tallack Note on Sources Abbreviations Notes Index