Business model innovations in non-governmental organisations : towards the implementation of business model for Laughing Women

Preview

PDF WRAP_Theses_Newton_2022.pdf - Submitted Version - Requires a PDF viewer. Download (4MB) | Preview

Request Changes to record.

Abstract

Business models are tools used to communicate organisational goals with stakeholders depicting a value creation system for all critical stakeholders. However, its use in the not-for-profit sector has not received significant mention, despite its benefits established in the for-profit sector. Besides, the NGOs have rarely been involved in their business model's continuous monitoring, assessment, and management, which has threatened their operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the lessening of substantial donations and increased crisis to address among general people. Additionally, potential and actual challenges (or barriers) to business model implementation were assessed. This work using a non-governmental organisation (NGO) – Laughing Women – as a case study examined business model components and processes involved in business model implementation.

The study used a participatory research methodology involving observation, focus group, and semi-structured interviews of various employees across levels and volunteers of Laughing Women, employing the virtual conferencing tool like Zoom. Findings identified four major components of the business model being operated by Laughing Women: simplicity, flexibility, donor dependency, and value orientation. Although the business model was discovered to be basic, flexible, and easily adaptable, it had some negatives – too many redundant strategies like lack of relationships with corporate bodies and dependency on donors alone, reactive rather than proactive and the donor dependency may not be sustainable. Additional findings showed the process for business model implementation, which involved critical stakeholders such as management driving change through all staff, volunteers, and partners. Significant challenges and barriers to business model implementation include funding/monetary barriers, lack of communication across the different strata of the organisation with timely and appropriate feedback, stakeholder and employee resistance, and lack of adequate training.

Little research exists on the design of tool kits to assess and improve the viability and sustainability of business models in NGOs. Hence, this study significantly contributes to designing a tool kit to support NGOs while also providing insights to support its implementation, viability, productivity, and sustainability as the enterprise evolves. The study's Toolkit emphasised that a new business model incorporates a new corporate culture and necessitates behavioural changes, contingent on the business model's evolution concerning the organisation's future and the fulfilment of its vision and mission. The study's contribution also lay in employee wellbeing, training and involvement in every process of the business model change, thereby acting as a base for the NGO literature to be further developed along the lines.

Request changes or add full text files to a record

Repository staff actions (login required)

View Item