Optimal membership size and the governance of grassroots associations

Stijn Van Puyvelde; Gert Huybrechts; Jurgen Willems; Marc Jegers; Jemima Bidee; Tim Vantilborgh; Roland Pepermans

doi:10.1016/j.soscij.2014.11.002

Optimal membership size and the governance of grassroots associations

Stijn Van Puyvelde, Gert Huybrechts, Jurgen Willems, Marc Jegers, Jemima Bidee, Tim Vantilborgh, Roland Pepermans

Institute for Public Management and Governance

Publication: Scientific journal › Journal article › peer-review

Abstract

This paper explores the link between membership size and the governance of grassroots associations. The issue of mission preference heterogeneity is highlighted and its effect on membership size is analyzed by developing a model and conducting a numerical simulation. An important finding is that the degree of heterogeneity of mission preferences in the potential member population has a negative effect on the optimal number of members of the grassroots association. The paper ends with a discussion of the use of governance mechanisms to limit mission drift.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	141 - 147
Journal	The Social Science Journal
Volume	52
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soscij.2014.11.002
Publication status	Published - 2015

Austrian Classification of Fields of Science and Technology (ÖFOS)

505027 Administrative studies
211903 Science of management
502023 NPO research
605005 Audience research

Keywords

NGOs
Nonprofit
heterogeneity
members
mission

Access to Document

10.1016/j.soscij.2014.11.002Licence: Unspecified

Check availability

University Library Catalogue

Cite this

@article{885e8806cda84ba9bc6a9ab21d315679,

title = "Optimal membership size and the governance of grassroots associations",

abstract = "This paper explores the link between membership size and the governance of grassroots associations. The issue of mission preference heterogeneity is highlighted and its effect on membership size is analyzed by developing a model and conducting a numerical simulation. An important finding is that the degree of heterogeneity of mission preferences in the potential member population has a negative effect on the optimal number of members of the grassroots association. The paper ends with a discussion of the use of governance mechanisms to limit mission drift.",

keywords = "NGOs, Nonprofit, heterogeneity, members, mission, NGOs, Nonprofit, heterogeneity, members, mission",

author = "{Van Puyvelde}, Stijn and Gert Huybrechts and Jurgen Willems and Marc Jegers and Jemima Bidee and Tim Vantilborgh and Roland Pepermans",

year = "2015",

doi = "10.1016/j.soscij.2014.11.002",

language = "English",

volume = "52",

pages = "141 -- 147",

journal = "The Social Science Journal",

issn = "0362-3319",

publisher = "Taylor and Francis Ltd.",

number = "2",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Optimal membership size and the governance of grassroots associations

AU - Van Puyvelde, Stijn

AU - Huybrechts, Gert

AU - Willems, Jurgen

AU - Jegers, Marc

AU - Bidee, Jemima

AU - Vantilborgh, Tim

AU - Pepermans, Roland

PY - 2015

Y1 - 2015

N2 - This paper explores the link between membership size and the governance of grassroots associations. The issue of mission preference heterogeneity is highlighted and its effect on membership size is analyzed by developing a model and conducting a numerical simulation. An important finding is that the degree of heterogeneity of mission preferences in the potential member population has a negative effect on the optimal number of members of the grassroots association. The paper ends with a discussion of the use of governance mechanisms to limit mission drift.

AB - This paper explores the link between membership size and the governance of grassroots associations. The issue of mission preference heterogeneity is highlighted and its effect on membership size is analyzed by developing a model and conducting a numerical simulation. An important finding is that the degree of heterogeneity of mission preferences in the potential member population has a negative effect on the optimal number of members of the grassroots association. The paper ends with a discussion of the use of governance mechanisms to limit mission drift.

KW - NGOs

KW - Nonprofit

KW - heterogeneity

KW - members

KW - mission

KW - NGOs

KW - Nonprofit

KW - heterogeneity

KW - members

KW - mission

UR - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/269318276_Optimal_membership_size_and_the_governance_of_grassroots_associations

U2 - 10.1016/j.soscij.2014.11.002

DO - 10.1016/j.soscij.2014.11.002

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0362-3319

VL - 52

SP - 141

EP - 147

JO - The Social Science Journal

JF - The Social Science Journal

IS - 2

ER -

Optimal membership size and the governance of grassroots associations

Abstract

Austrian Classification of Fields of Science and Technology (ÖFOS)

Keywords

Access to Document

Check availability

Other files and links

Cite this