Emerging Information Technology and Knowledge Management Capacity for Nonprofit Organizations

Abstract

Advances in information technology (IT) improve functionality for major nonprofit organizations. Due to increased expectations, service needs and peer competition, nonprofits must prepare to incorporate IT-related resources such as emerging technology planning, web- based collaborative processes and constrained resource planning to obtain technological innovation and higher performance. The effective use of constrained resource management is crucial for the success of nonprofits. Although nonprofit organizations are familiar with common IT resources and applications, wide application of new methods and technology is required to build inter-dependent information resources and real-time decision making capacity. Nonprofit resource planning such as tracking inventory level, planning replenishment, and receiving continuous information updates can be measured through enterprise resource planning (ERP) and electronic supply chain (e-SC) management. IT implementation of ERP and e-SC in nonprofits contribute to improve collaboration among donors, partner organizations, governmental agencies, staff members, volunteers, local experts, clients and recipients. This article addresses critical IT procedures and emerging IT practices to improve nonprofit performance. The overall goal is to focus IT implementation in nonprofits to develop road maps to guide organization pathways, track progress and measure success for public services.