Towards Excellence in Public Sector Performance

ACCOUNTABILITY OF CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZAITONS:Voluntary Accountability Networks, Stakeholder

Participation, and the“Other” Invisible Hand

David A. Bell, MPAK. Leroy Irvis Fellow—PhD Student

Graduate School of Public and International AffairsUniversity of Pittsburgh

November 1- 4, 2009***Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Accountability of Civil Society Organizations

Global Public Partnership Lessons for Performance Excellence

Definitions: CSO, Accountability, Network

Theoretical Basis for Network Mechanism

Comparative Overview: Three Networks

Opportunities and Challenges

Concluding Comments

Accountability of Civil Society Organizations

• Global Public Partnership Lessons for Performance Excellence

Lessons from Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe

Regulatory administrative relief

Networks—Participation—and…

Accountability of Civil Society Organizations

The “Other” Invisible Hand

Accountability of Civil Society Organizations

Definition Challenge:

Civil Society Organizations (CSO)

Shaped by time, culture, government, market

Empirically grounded in multi-faceted CSOs Integration disconnect

Supplementary regulatory means

Tangible performance

Accountability of Civil Society Organizations

Definition Challenge:

Civil Society Organizations (CSO)

Organized

Private

Not profit-distributing

Self-governing

Voluntary

Adapted from the Johns Hopkins Comparative Nonprofit Sector project. Lester M. Salamon, S. Wojciech Sokolowski, and Regina List.

Accountability of Civil Society Organizations

Definition Challenge:

Accountability

Evaluation of performance

Evaluation of good governance

Evaluation of legitimacy

Evaluation limitations

Evaluation as a component

Accountability of Civil Society Organizations

Definition Challenge:

Accountability

Explicit and Implicit Standards Laws, Regulations, Policies

Increased Knowledge, Skill, Abilities

Change in Behavior or Status

Trust, Credibility, Goodwill, Honesty

Perceptions and Support With No Consideration of Explicit

Explicit

Implicit

Accountability of Civil Society Organizations

Definition Challenge:

Accountability

Valid Factors of Accountable Behavior Effectiveness: Programs and Services

Reliability: Organizational Structure and Governance

Legitimacy: Transparency, Mission-Focused, Connection to Community

Accountability of Civil Society Organizations

ConstructValidity Factor

Explicit StandardsImplicit Standards

Effectiveness Contractual obligations Performance targets Budget variances

Donor agency philosophy Program participants Financial objectives/strategies

Reliability Foundation grant stipulations Government contract provisions IRS exempt purpose criteria

Peer CSOs expectations Representation views of various

stakeholders Beliefs about allocation of resources

Legitimacy

CSO membership Certification, expertise,

knowledge Performance, effectiveness

Distinctive values Informal relationships Empowering people Nature of “voice” (as, with, for, about

those served)

Accountability of Civil Society Organizations

Definition Challenge:

Accountability is:

Serving in accordance to the explicit and negotiated-implicit standards for effectiveness, reliability, and legitimacy for the benefit of clients, volunteers, employees, contributors/donors, and the public.

Accountability of Civil Society Organizations

Definition Challenge:

Network

Claudia Liebler and Marian Ferri: Contextual constructed and understood

Michael Edwards “Context”:

CSO networks as channels of participatory and open debate to help participating CSOs find balance between sovereignty and the demands of stakeholders

Accountability of Civil Society Organizations

Definition Challenge:

Network

Joan Goodin’s categorization of networks:

Sectoral Category: including capacity building and development of standards

Accountability of Civil Society Organizations

Definition Challenge:

Network

Contextually constructed and understood

Is a context of debate to balance CSO sovereignty and stakeholders interests

Categorized as building CSO capacity and standards to maintain and enhance accountable behavior

Accountability of Civil Society Organizations

Reflexive Governance Framework

The conditions for debate-process success are identifiable, and once identified, must be intentionally created

Assumption: CSO stakeholders representing their interests lead to CSO organizational learning and the maintenance and enhancement of accountable behavior

Accountability of Civil Society Organizations

Context for effective Reflexive Governance —The “Other” Invisible Hand

The “invisible” threat of direct regulatory action

Enforcement actions focused on recalcitrant CSOs

Compliant organizations better performance than nonmember CSOs

Recalcitrant CSOs--membership shows no difference

Accountability of Civil Society Organizations

Comparative Overview of CSO Accountability Networks

The American Council for Voluntary International Action

Accountability of Civil Society Organizations

The American Council for Voluntary International Action—InterAction

Members engaging in advocacy are required to have a clear policy

Racial diversity a core value

Program evaluation: Quantitative and Qualitative

Governance: Board stipulations

Accountability of Civil Society Organizations

The American Council for Voluntary International Action—InterAction

Certification & membership

Member complaint procedure

Annual self-certification of compliance

Accountability of Civil Society Organizations

International Non-Governmental Organisations Accountability Charter—INGO Charter

Members engaging in advocacy—explicit ethical policies

Diversity in external and internal activities

Report on activities and achievements

Accountability of Civil Society Organizations

International Non-Governmental Organisations Accountability Charter—INGO Charter

Minimum governance tools and processes

Network participation: Signator

Annual report

Focus on large international CSOs

Accountability of Civil Society Organizations

Philippine Council of NGO Certification--PCNC

Advocacy viewed through: Mission and goals

Evaluation of performance

Diversity not explicitly addressed

Program implementation and evaluation

Accountability of Civil Society Organizations

Philippine Council of NGO Certification--PCNC

Governance: Extent of Board involvement and knowledge of organization

Certification: Extensive analysis of documents and site visit—evaluation team influence

Seal of approval and donee institution status

Accountability of Civil Society Organizations

The “Other” Invisible Hand

Accountability Networks: Challenges and Opportunities Cost: money and time

Participation

Accountability of Civil Society Organizations

The “Other” Invisible Hand

Accountability Networks: Challenges and Opportunities Participation

Stakeholders would rather move their support than stop to advance organizational learning and improve mechanisms to facilitate accountable behavior

Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen: Economic development requires the democratic system to be developed and strengthened

Accountability of Civil Society Organizations

Who is watching the “watchdog”?

Accountability Networks: Challenges and Opportunities Participation

Democratic CSOs: Priorities and values of citizens

“…the issue of practice to be of central importance in the contributions that can be expected”

Accountability of Civil Society Organizations

The “Other” Invisible Hand”

CSO voluntary accountability networks…

Like democratic institutions…

Require participation by a broad range of stakeholders and…

Require the context of a threat of direct regulatory action in order to:

Advance CSO organizational learning

Maintain and enhance accountable behavior

The “Other” Invisible HandExcellence is dedication

To a job that’s hard to do,

Going the extra mile

And always trying to follow through.

Excellence is communication,

Sharing everything you know,

And learning how to listen

So your expertise will grow.

Excellence is appreciation of the talent that you see,

Acknowledging a job well done

Inspires success and loyalty.

Excellence is aspiration

With a higher goal in mind,

To trust in God and reach for things

Of a more rewarding kind.