Wiley InterScience, Summer 2005

“Nongovernmental organisations exercise a growing influence over business. In this paper, the authors provide a detailed analysis of NGOs themselves. The article is heavily annotated since the material also is intended to serve as a reference source for a wide spectrum of supporting literature on NGOs. The article begins with a primer on the basics of NGOs – what they are, how they evolved, and so on. The authors then describe the growing influence of NGOs on business, government (illustrated by their involvement in the United Nations), and the financial community (illustrated by their involvement with the World Bank).”

“Finally, the article considers the key issue of accountability. We examine the various principles of accountability as applied to NGOs, examples of NGOs’ accountability failures, and ongoing efforts to make NGOs more accountable. Accountability is the issue that will define the influence of NGOs in the future, and it is a concern that cuts both ways. NGOs have become leading stewards in defining proper corporate and government behavior. Yet as their power and influence grows, they too are being challenged on their own practices. It is the classic question of “who checks the checkers?”

Authors:

Brijesh Nalinakumari and Richard MacLean

Read the full paper  NGOs: A Primer on the Evolution of the Organizations That Are Setting the Next Generation of “Regulations” (pdf download), courtesy of Wiley Publishers.

Citation: Environmental Quality Management / Summer 2005 / 1 © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.