Marketization of humanitarian work in the 21st century: balancing the survival and moral imperatives for NGOs: a case of Uganda Red Cross Society

Abstract

Today’s NGO is a large corporate undertaking in systems and structure in comparison to the early days of a small, humble, locally connected one with a clear vision and mission focus (Gibson, 2019). It is a big service provider dependent on funding from institutional donors rather than individuals or the public. It has elaborate structures for operations, procurement and supply chain management, public relations and communications, fund-raising and business development services (BDS), internal audit and accounting, human resources (HR), monitoring and evaluation, community engagement and feedback receipt, and implementation (Cooley and Ron, 2002; Gibson, 2019). It is staffed with thematic specialists who implement short-term niche complex programmes and projects with tight deliverables, budgets, and timelines. Its staff, while dedicated, suffer from dilemmas of balancing moral motivations and efficient implementation of discrete projects that they are assigned to implement, and the processes needed to operate large-scale undertakings (Gibson, 2019). This is, rather, rational behaviour in response to their existential pressures created by today's market conditions. This has created cracks in the heart of the NGO sector. Identity, mission, and public trust are being threatened by the resultant pressure as increased corporatization, enterprise culture, and principal-agent (P-A) relationships gain momentum in NGO operations (Salamon, 2003). NGOs need to preserve their values as they navigate the distinctiveness and survival imperatives. This article attempts to delve into how NGOs have attempted to balance these imperatives, drawing from an empirical review of the existing body of literature in the subject area and analysis of the set-up and operations of one large Relief Service NGO in Uganda -the Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS).