Bernd Helmig

Challenges in Managing Nonprofit Organizations: A Research Overview

The topic of “management” and nonprofit organizations (NPOs) continues to fascinate scholars. This paper draws on varying theoretical perspectives to explore their respective contributions to our knowledge of NPOs. The two longstanding and contrasting disciplines of economics and sociology have contributed most, traditionally, to the study of NPOs. However, neither of these disciplines has resolved all the dilemmas associated with NPOs. The standard economic model does not apply well to the distinctive nonmarket situation of NPOs. The sociological perspectives offer interesting insight, but fail to develop plans of action for NPOs. However, both of these traditional perspectives are starting to be eclipsed by the focus on marketing research.

Co-Branding: The State of the Art

The use of co-branded products as a form of brand management has gained increasing attention from managers and scientists, as evidenced by the practitioner-oriented articles and empirical studies published since the mid-1990s. However, there is no description that contrasts co-branding with other branding strategies, nor is there a structured overview of the main findings of co-branding studies. We classify different branding strategies, discuss branding literature, and develop a theoretical model for co-branding based on research findings. In addition to managerial implications, we provide a critical assessment of research, identify research questions, and offer a research agenda for cobranding.

On the efficiency of public, welfare and private hospitals in Germany over time: a sectoral data envelopment analysis study

This paper examines the efficiency of the German hospital sector over time and the relative efficiency of public, welfare (both nonprofit) and private (for-profit) hospital sectors using data from the Federal Statistics Office of German hospitals. Efficiency scores were computed using data envelopment analysis. The absolute efficiency of the hospital sector as a whole was found to have improved between 1991 and 1996. In this comparison, the empirical results showed that the hospitals in the public and welfare sector are relatively more efficient than private hospitals. Our results suggest that public, welfare and private hospital sectors have different best-practice frontiers; and that public and welfare hospital sectors appear to use relatively fewer resources than private hospitals. These results suggest differences in quality of care arising from ownership.

On the Effectiveness of Social Marketing—What Do We Really Know?

Social marketing continues to play an important role, as societies are facing diverse social problems. Therefore, scientific findings on the effectiveness of social marketing are particularly interesting. A rigorously elaborated, structured, state of the art covering two aspects—not only the currently observed restricted focus on health campaigns, but also the whole spectrum of topics and the diversity of applied methodologies—is needed. Accordingly, this article aims to identify and categorize relevant findings on the effectiveness of social marketing in a tentative holistic model, with a main focus on framing determinants. A research agenda, which includes research propositions on framing determinants in social marketing effectiveness, to enhance scientific progress in the field, is deduced from this state of the art.

Why do Donors Donate? Examining the Effects of Organizational Identification and Identity Salience on the Relationships among Satisfaction, Loyalty and Donation Behavior

With an empirical study in two nonprofit industries (a money-collecting and blood-collecting organization), the authors investigate how organizational identification and identity salience together function in relation to satisfaction, loyalty, and behavior. They develop and test a model that best represents relationships featuring donor-nonprofit identification and donor identity salience in existing satisfaction-loyalty studies. Overall, the study empirically confirms that donor-nonprofit identification and donor identity salience are distinct constructs and that both have direct positive effects on loyalty, but not that much on donations. Within the money donation context, both identification constructs have stronger total effects on donor loyalty than donor satisfaction, whereas in the blood donation context, donor satisfaction has a stronger effect on loyalty. In testing the causal direction between donor-nonprofit identification and donor satisfaction, the authors also find that the path should be conceptualized from satisfaction to identification. The study contributes to the theory of organizational identification and identity salience by highlighting the advantages of taking a combined theoretical approach. Finally, the study suggests several means to implement donor identification management, including group activities, development of online communities, donor events, and more long-term-oriented tactics, all of which treat the donor as a cocreator of value.

Under Positive Pressure How Stakeholder Pressure Affects Corporate Social Responsibility Implementation

This study tests a model that links stakeholder pressure to the implementation of corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities and market performance. Stakeholder groups and competitors might exert pressure on companies to implement CSR, which could lead to positive effects on market performance. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), the authors find that stakeholders and competitors exert pressure differently. The effect of CSR implementation on market performance is moderated by market dynamism: It affects market performance more in dynamic environments. The authors discuss implications for both companies and stakeholders.

Replication Studies in Nonprofit Research: A Generalization and Extension of Findings Regarding the Media Publicity of Nonprofit Organizations

This article examines the need for replication studies in nonprofit research. By elaborating a framework for replication studies, it contributes to an ongoing discussion about the appropriateness of various research methods. To exemplify this framework, the authors conduct a replication study on a specific topic relevant for nonprofit organizations in a globalized world, namely, media publicity for nonprofit organizations. The application reveals similar patterns for nonprofit organizations in the cities of Zurich, Switzerland, and New York, the United States, across a replication and original study, respectively.

Patientenzufriedenheitsmessungen im Krankenhaus

■ In der vorliegenden Untersuchung wird auf die Besonderheiten der Zufriedenheit des Kunden „Krankenhauspatient“ gegenuber der Zufriedenheit von Kunden in anderen Branchen eingegangen. ■ Die Autoren erstellen auf der Grundlage einer Befragung von 122 Krankenhausverwaltungsdirektoren eine Bestandsaufnahme in bezug auf den Verbreitungsgrad und den Stellenwert von Patientenzufriedenheitsmessungen in deutschen Kliniken. ■ Der Beitrag zeigt, das knapp 90% der Krankenhauser bereits Patientenzufriedenheitsmessungen durchfuhren. Dabei wird deutlich, das hinsichtlich der Motive, der Schwerpunkte und der auftretenden Probleme bei Patientenzufriedenheitsmessungen Unterschiede bei Krankenhausern in offentlicher, freigemeinnutziger/kirchlicher und privater Tragerschaft bestehen.

What Do We Know About the Identity Salience Model of Relationship Marketing Success? A Review of the Literature

ABSTRACT Although the research on relationship marketing in general is vast, very little is known about managing relationships in a nonprofit context. To understand and explain nonprofit relationships, we are in line with other nonprofit and relationship marketing researchers arguing that different relationship constructs from those identified in previous relationship marketing studies are required, and that the construct of identity salience is useful in this context. In this article we therefore present an inter-disciplinary literature review on the topic of identity salience and relationships. With regard to the 55 articles found, 4 major issues are discussed: First, the definition of identity salience; second, theoretical foundations and concepts used in previous studies; third, how to measure identity salience; and fourth, empirical findings regarding the impact of identity salience on relationship marketing success.

Theoretical Framework of Social Marketing Effectiveness: Drawing the Big Picture on its Functioning

Social marketing involves campaigns that aim to change individual behavior as well as prosocial behavior in diverse fields, such as health prevention and environment protection. Restricted public funds, debates about the social responsibilities of governments, nonprofit organizations and societies, as well as financial crises have increased interest in effective social marketing as a means of mitigating existing social problems. This article aims to draw the big picture on social marketing effectiveness by developing its theoretical framework. This framework brings together fragmented findings on social marketing effectiveness and incorporates a framework as a theoretically grounded process from relevant stimuli to intended responses. It provides a basis for further research. Recommendations for improved social marketing campaigns are derived. Managerial implications have great relevance for public and nonprofit management, as social marketing strongly influences the work and mission of public and nonprofit organizations.