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This article builds upon existing research to approach self-regulation from the theoretical perspective of resource dependency. The underlying assumption is that an organization is more likely to adopt self-regulation practices if it has a high level of resource dependence. Using regression analysis to evaluate data collected from one-sector nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in Lebanon, results provide moderate support for some claims, mainly that diversity of funding sources is positively correlated with self-regulation practices. Without being able to deal with many of the reasonable alternative explanations, these results are at best "suggestive." Self-regulation among this small subset of Lebanese NGOs is not necessarily adaptive or resource-based; it is more likely to be proactive and a result of voluntary adherence to informal norms and expectations. Further empirical research is needed to sort out between resource dependency explanations and plausible alternatives.

The NGO–donor relationship is especially volatile. NGOs in developing countries heavily rely on foreign donor funding and donor dominance is evident. This article explores the relationship at times when donors revise funding priorities and partner NGOs try to adapt. The article draws on qualitative research of multiple observations to study the decisions of four NGOs in response to several shifts in donor funding. The analysis reveals variation in NGO responses to such shifts: suspend the relationship, reach common ground, automatically execute the donor's interests, and voluntarily and deliberately adapt to the situation. Building on Hirschman's typology, four modes of NGOs' response are identified: exit, voice, loyalty, and, a newly proposed mode, adjustment. Additional interpretation of NGOs' responses and possible implications for NGO management are discussed.

AbstractDevelopment Management (DM) has always been seen through the lens of the Global North. Taking its cue from Brinkerhoff and Brinkerhoff's (2010) study on the state of international DM from a Northern perspective, this article provides a complementary perspective from Lebanon in order to spark a North–South debate on the state of DM in terms of its values and institutional agendas and the role of government. The article concludes with a discussion on some implications for policy and practice in Lebanon and the DM more generally, suggesting that the Southern perspective is cautiously more tolerant of politics in development and that the role of government in development should be that of an active partner and facilitator. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Public participation is widely adopted in managing public affairs, especially at the central level in many countries. This article examines the current status of public participation in a Chinese local government environmental agency, through the eyes of its employees. We find that informational and consultative forms of public participation are common; other forms of participation that require decision authority sharing are not absent. Regardless, public participation is perceived to be used for its instrumental benefits. The lack of time for citizens to participate and for the agency to manage participation are the major obstacles; the need for a top political decision and more public awareness are needed for the agency to engage the public meaningfully. The good news is that most public sector employees, especially managers, hold a positive view of public participation.

This article provides a snapshot of the administration of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) in the U.S. federal government. Specifically, using data from all federal government agencies from 2008 to 2016, the article examines indicators of FOIA caseloads, including requests, exemptions, denials, appeals, and backlogs, and FOIA management capacity, including staff, financial issues, and processing times. The snapshot not only highlights recent trends in the administration of FOIA but also informs future research by identifying areas that deserve additional attention, revealing potential sampling or case identification strategies for empirical work, and shedding light on variables that may have implications for theory building.

AbstractThe integration of resource dependence theory and a network perspective results in a parsimonious "strategic response model" for the organizational responses of exit, voice, loyalty, and adjustment. Four cases illustrate the model's application to nonprofit organizations by focusing on relations with a government aid agency that switched funding priorities. The model helps explain why networks of recipients of funding may change over time and predicts organizational responses to changing demands from resource providers.

This article investigates the impacts of partnerships on three aspects of nonprofits' human resources capacity—paid staff, volunteers, and the professional development of staff of nonprofit organizations. Analysis of the seemingly unrelated regressions (SUR) suggests that partnerships may yield some human capacity improvements, that is, increasing the number of staff and opportunities for their professional development. The number of volunteers is not affected by partnerships but rather by other financial resources. The main implication of this research is that partnerships should be formed on the basis of their comparative advantages and focused on identifying suitable partners and cultivating these relations rather than collaborating with more organizations.

AbstractThis article studies the role of service providing NGOs in the Middle East in promoting democracy. Challenging the assumption that service providing NGOs are apolitical, the authors argue that service providing NGOs play important roles in promoting democracy. They do so by serving as public arenas, or spaces in which members and beneficiaries practice democratic habits such as discussion and debate, collective problem solving, free expression, rights claiming, and the like—all of which contribute to the cultivation of a participatory form of democracy. Drawing upon existing literature, interviews, and participant observation of NGOs in Egypt, Lebanon, and Palestine, the authors argue that five features shape the role of service providing NGOs in promoting democracy. These include: (1) organizational readiness, or the organization's embeddedness in its beneficiary community and its organizational capacity; (2) organizational governance, or organization's commitment to participatory representation and transparency; (3) the nature of service an organization provides; (4) an NGOs' collaboration with other NGOs and the government; and (5) donor risk tolerance. The article's analysis contributes to our understanding of the varied, and often overlooked, roles of service providing NGOs, advancing the literature on NGO‐state relations, NGO‐donor relations, and democracy promotion.