Managing Development Organisations

Course details

The aim of this module is to develop participants’ knowledge, understanding and competence in management practice in development organisations, and their capacity to critically reflect on and analyse the role of development organisations in the context of North-South relations.

Module Objectives

• To introduce participants to basic approaches, principles and practice of management
• To explore concepts and debates around Third Sector organisations and the challenges and issues associated with Third Sector management practice.
• To encourage participants to identify and critically analyse questions and issues around development planning and management in the context of North South aid and development relations.

Module Learning Outcomes

At the end of the course the participants are expected to:

• Have knowledge and understanding of different management approaches, styles and practice.
• Be able to critically reflect on differences in management challenges and realities between managing in the development/non for profit and in the private sectors.
• Have a broad knowledge and appreciation of the policy and operational context within which development NGOs operate .
• Be able to critically reflect on and analyse the nature of development and aid relationships between North and South, with a particular focus on the concept and practice of NGO North-South partnerships.

Module Content

Introduction to management

• What is management?
• What do managers do?
• How do they do it?

Development organisations

• What is the Third Sector?
• Background, typologies, roles of development NGOs
• Third Sector governance

Managing Third Sector Organisations

• Conceptual framework for NGO management
• Challenges for Third sector management
• Accountability and decision-making
• When and how to intervene in humanitarian situations?
• Managing people
• Gender and management
• Cross-cultural management
• Planning ahead for survival

Development organisational context

• Organisational External Relations
• N-S aid and development context
• Donor relationships
• N-S NGO partnership

Details of assessment and up-to-date reading lists for this module will be made available to learners following enrollment.