A framework for the evaluation of an international graduate economic development program for nongovernmental organization leaders

• Main Author: Ridington, Morgan Thomas Jr.
• Other Authors: Kapp, C. A.
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch 2010
• Subjects: development; NGO; curriculum; evaluation; Theses > Curriculum studies; Dissertations > Curriculum studies; Non-governmental organizations > South Africa > Management; Educational accountability; Curriculum development > South Africa > Research; Economic development > Effect of education on > Research; Curriculum Studies
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/4010

Thesis (PhD (Curriculum Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. === ENGLISH ABSTRACT: While nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have existed for several hundred years, their recent surge was largely fueled by several key factors. Firstly, government corruption caused donor agencies to see NGOs as safer investments for their aid portfolios. Secondly, the end of the Cold War fostered growth in development in former Soviet satellite nations. Thirdly, the United Nation‘s (UN) establishment of the Millennium Development Goals galvanized the globe to address indicators critical to combating extreme poverty. Vast amounts of charitable capital combined with donors‘ increasing expectations of performance to spark serious interest in the topics of NGO efficiency, accountability and effectiveness. These topics are foundational to NGO mission accomplishment and have contributed to a global expansion of academic programs in NGO management. The examination of a forerunner of NGO management education helped address the void of scholarship concerning NGO-related academic program effectiveness. The economic development program at Eastern University (US) was created in 1984 as one of the world‘s first MBA programs designed to train entrepreneurs for service to distressed communities. The program quickly grew to over one hundred students and then foundered due to frequent personnel transition, curricular change, mission drift and a lack of investment in relational marketing and outreach. This prompted an administrative intervention in 2002. In 2007, five years into the economic development program‘s reinvention process, a qualitative evaluation determined whether all the essential elements of the program were in place and operating in accordance with the plans put forth in 2002. The knowledge generated by this research will strengthen institutions that serve NGOs and extend the abilities of NGO leaders to fulfill their missions. The following specific aims were established and achieved. Firstly, an analysis of the factors contributing to the management challenges facing the leaders of international NGOs was presented. Secondly, a qualitative evaluation of an international graduate economic development program for NGO leaders using archival analysis verified through iv interviews and focus groups assessed the effectiveness of the 2002 intervention in achieving planned objectives. Thirdly, the research also generated conclusions and recommendations on theoretical, practical and policy-related issues, particularly regarding matters of academic program leadership, curricular development, planning, evaluation, marketing and the distinctive requirements of international programs containing distance delivery components. Fourthly, the research enriched the scholarly conversation in the NGO and academic communities in substantive ways, including two presentations at international conferences and publication in a peer-reviewed journal. Theoretical, practical and policy conclusions were generated as research outcomes and included a theoretical framework for the implementation and evaluation of an international graduate economic development MBA for NGO leaders. The conclusions generated four recommendations for the host institution and others with similar missions and aspirations. The recommendations stated that these kinds of programs should: commit to the discipline of multi-year planning and evaluation, appoint well-qualified faculty to lead them, implement and resource relationship-based marketing plans that engage program alumni, and excel at delivering cross-cultural, highly accessible learning === AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Nieregeringsorganisasies (NRO‘s) bestaan al vir baie honderde jare. In die onlangse verlede is die belangrikheid en groei daarvan deur verskeie faktore aangevuur. Ten eerste het skenkerorganisasies nieregeringsorganisasies toenemend begin beskou as veiliger beleggers vir hulle hulpfondse as die toenemende korrupsie van regerings. Tweedens het die einde van die Koue Oorlog die groei en ontwikkeling van vorige Sowjet- satellietstate gestimuleer. Derdens het die Verenigde Volkeorganisasie (VVO) met die daarstelling van die milleniumontwikkelingsdoelstellings die wêreld saamgesnoer in hulle pogings om armoede te beveg. Groot bedrae welsynskapitaal en die daarmee gepaardgaande hoër prestasieverwagtinge van skenkers het daartoe bygedra dat daar groter belangstelling was in die effektiwiteit, doeltreffendheid en toerekenbaarheid van nieregeringsorganisasies. Laasgenoemde drie temas is fundamenteel tot die uitlewing van nieregeringsorganisasies se missies en dit het daartoe bygedra dat daar ‘n wêreldwye toename in akademiese programme oor die leierskap en bestuur van nieregeringsorganisasies was. Navorsing oor een van die pioniers op die gebied van leierskap en bestuursopleiding vir nie-regeringsorganisasies het daartoe bygedra om hierdie leemte in die akademieskap van nie-regeringsorganisasies se programeffektiwiteit te oorbrug. Die ekonomiese ontwikkelings-program aan die Eastern University in die VSA is in 1984 as een van die wêreld se eerste MBA-programme wat ontwerp is om entrepreneurs vir dienslewering aan benadeelde gemeenskappe op te lei, in die lewe geroep. Die program was baie gewild en het vinnig gegroei en gou was daar meer as ‘n honderd ingeskrewe studente. As gevolg van verskeie faktore, waaronder gereelde personeel- en leierskapwisseling, kurrikulumwysigings, missieverskuiwing (mission drift) en onvoldoende investering in bemarking en uitreikprogramme, het die program se gewildheid afgeneem. Hierdie afname in die gewildheid van die program het inmenging/intervensie deur die universiteitsbestuur in 2002 genoodsaak. In 2007,vyf jaar nadat die universiteitsbestuur die intervensie geïnisieer het, is deur middel van ‘n kwalitatiewe evaluering vasgestel of al die noodsaaklike elemente van die program toegepas is volgens die intervensieprogram wat in 2002 geïnisieer is. Die kennis wat deur hierdie navorsing gegenereer is, sal vi universiteite en instellings wat nieregeringsorganisasies ondersteun, versterk en die leiers van nieregeringsorganisasies in staat stel om hulle missies uit te leef. Verskeie doelstellings is met die navorsing nagestreef en bereik. Eerstens is die faktore wat bydra tot die uitdagings vir die leierskap van internasionale nieregeringsorganisasies geanaliseer en aangebied. Tweedens is ‘n kwalitatiewe evaluering van ‘n internasionale nagraadse ekonomiese ontwikkelingsprogram uitgevoer. Argivale materiaal is geanaliseer en, gerugsteun deur inligting wat verkry is uit onderhoude en fokusgroepe, is die effektiwiteit van die 2002-intervensie bepaal. Derdens is teoretiese, praktiese en beleidsgevolgtrekkings en aanbevelings gegenereer. Hierdie gevolgtrekkings en aanbevelings is veral toegespits op leierskap vir akademiese programme, kurrikulumontwikkeling, beplanning, evaluering, bemarking en die eiesoortige eise wat afstandsonderrigprogramme stel. Vierdens het die navorsing die akademiese gesprek en die akademiese en nieregeringsorganisasies op verskeie betekenisvolle maniere verryk. Onder andere is twee aanbiedinge by internasionale konferensies gedoen en is ‘n artikel in ‘n eweknie-beoordeelde tydskrif gepubliseer. Teoretiese, praktiese en beleidsgevolgtrekkings is daargestel en dit sluit onder andere ‘n teoretiese raamwerk vir die implementering en evaluering van ‘n internasionale MBA- nagraadse ekonomiese ontwikkelingsprogram vir leiers van nieregeringsorganisasies in. Die gevolgtrekkings het gelei tot vier aanbevelings vir die gasheerinstelling en ander instellings met soortgelyke missies en aspirasies. Die aanbevelings sluit onder andere in dat instellings wat soortgelyke programme aanbied, hulle moet verbind tot multijaarbeplanning en -evaluering, dat hulle bekwame akademici as leiers moet aanstel, dat hulle brongebaseerde bemarkingsplanne moet implementeer en dat hulle akademiese personeel moet aanstel wat besonder goed toegerus is in die aanbieding van kruiskulturele toeganklike leerprogramme.