Social Expectations, Constraints, and Their Effect on Nonprofit Strategies

Abstract

A comprehensive analysis of the strategies pursued by nonprofit agencies must take into account not only the conventional market forces but also the social expectations and constraints that the agencies regularly confront. This study reports on a theoretically guided, qualitative analysis of the strategies that develop in the context of such factors. Data stem from interviews with officials from 12 agencies, the agencies’ prime funding agency, and interest groups. The results suggest that sampled agencies occasionally use conventionally described strategies as well as the social and political strategies covered in several previous studies, but that they most frequently rely on rarely considered “relationship” strategies by which they seek to establish and preserve an image or status. The results are argued to inform strategic decision making and to suggest ways in which agency officials may take into account two sources of social expectations and constraints: institutional arrangements and organizational identities.