arnova 2012

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Transparency or Accountability?

The Purpose of Online Technologies for Nonprofits

Georgette Dumont, Ph.D.Assistant Professor

University of North Florida

Background

Increasing inclusiveness in NPO governance

Evolving scope of accountability

Dialogic theory

Application to ICTs

Research Questions

How do nonprofit leaders see the connection between transparency, accountability, and nonprofits’ use of ICTs?

Q1: How do nonprofit leaders view ICTs? Q2:How does a nonprofit leader’s perception of ICTs

connect to the nonprofit’s use of ICTs?

Methodology

Snowball sampling to ID NPOs in region using social media Web site analysis Social media analysis

Interviews with 10 nonprofit leaders whose organizations were rated high-utilizers

Sample

348 NPOs with a total of 464 SM accounts

10 interviews (2 each): Arts and Culture Human Service Societal Benefit Environment and Animals Non-501(c)(3)

Findings

Findings, cont.

Conceptualization(Inclusive)

Twitter

Facebook

Web site

email Blog

Dynamism

Depth of Information

FeedbackMessage

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Conclusion

Web site analysis: Web sites used more for transparency than

communication (confirming previous studies) Web sites designed to focus on promotion

Interviews: Most view the Internet as a tool to push information

(the message) out Four viewed ICTs as tools to engage and build

relationships Of the four, two also saw it as a means to include

stakeholders in governance and strengthen online and off-line community