Non-Profit Organisations, Volume IV: Structures, Models and Technology (Palgrave Studies in Cross-disciplinary Business Research, In Association with EuroMed Academy of Business)

This four-volume book examines, through multiple and cross-discipline perspectives, the science and practice of not-for-profit organisations. These organisations have drawn considerable attention and witnessed extensive growth as they engage in delivering public services to society. And are increasingly pressured to balance business with social goals, inherent idiosyncratic features with management creativity, structural limitations with operational flexibility, and ethical boundaries with pragmatism; all with scarce resources but abundant determination.

The first volume explores the opportunities and challenges of non-profit organisations in the contemporary environment, elucidating current and future issues in the field, setting strategic directions, and presenting sector-wide examples and best practices. The second volume explores contextual aspects relating to the economy and industries. The third volume presents social and ethical aspects, as well as matters of sustainability, accountability and the overall wellbeing of society. The fourth and final volume examines structures and models, with an emphasis on technology.

Alkis Thrassou is a Professor at the University of Nicosia (Cyprus, EU) and holds a Ph.D. and a B.Eng. from the University of Leeds (UK), and an M.Sc.(Eng.) from the University of Nicosia (Cyprus). He is the Director of Gnosis Mediterranean Institute for Management Science, the Chief Editor of Palgrave Intersections of Business and the Sciences in Association with Gnosis MIMS, the Managing Editor of Palgrave Studies in Cross-Disciplinary Business Research in Association with EMAB, an Associate Editor of EuroMed Journal of Business, a ember of the editorial board of many scientific journals, and a Senior Research Fellow of the EuroMed Academy of Business. He has published about 300 scientific works in numerous internationally esteemed journals and books, and his works carry many thousands of peer citations. His is ranked #8 of “Best Business and Management Scientists” in Greece and Cyprus (combined), by Research.com (2024). He further retains strong ties with industry, acting also as a consultant, while holding the prominent professional qualifications of Chartered Marketer (FCIM), Chartered Construction Manager (FCIOB) and Chartered Management Consultancy Surveyor (MRICS).

Prof. Demetris Vrontis is the Vice Rector for Faculty and Research and a Professor of Strategic Marketing Management at the University of Nicosia, Cyprus. He is the Founder and Editor in Chief of the EuroMed Journal of Business, an Associate Editor of the International Marketing Review, an Associate Editor of the Journal of Business Research and a Consulting Editor of the Journal of International Management. He is also the President of the EuroMed Academy of Business, which serves as an important and influential regional academy in the area of Business and Management. He has widely published hundreds of refereed journal articles and chapters, and dozens of book, and has presented numerous papers to conferences around the globe. He gave many speeches and seminars in conferences and institutions around the world. He is a fellow member and certified Chartered Marketer of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and a Chartered Business Consultant. He is also currently serving as a consultant and is a member of the board of directors to several international companies.

Leonidas Efthymiou is Associate Professor at the University of Nicosia, Cyprus (EU). Having studied at the universities of Leicester (PhD, MSc) and Derby (BA), he worked at Pearson Education and the University of Leicester, and taught online for Universities in Europe, Africa and the United States. Dr Efthymiou is Senior Researcher at Gnosis Mediterranean Institute for Management Science and has served in various key committees of the School of Business of the University of Nicosia, contributing substantially in the academic, regulatory and social development of the School, particularly in the department of Hospitality & Tourism at all levels of education, supervising also PhDs to completion. He has co-edited and published several books, articles, media reports, policy papers and encyclopaedia articles, with his research focus lying at the intersection of employment, digitisation and education. Dr Efthymiou received a number of awards, including the best PhD Thesis award, by the Academy of Management in 2011, Boston Massachusetts.

Yaakov Weber is Director of the School of Business Research Center, College of Management Academic Studies, Rishon LeTsiyon, Israel, and a graduate of the Technion, Tel Aviv University, and University of South Carolina. He is co-president of EuroMed Academy of Business and EuroMed Research Business Institute, and the editor of the European Management Review. He lectures in the fields of Mergers and Acquisitions, Strategic Alliances, Corporate Strategy, and Global Strategic Management. And has taught these at various universities in the United States, Europe and China, at graduate schools of business administration, executive programs in private and public organizations as well as at industrial associations for CEOs and Directors. He has organised many international scientific conferences, globally, and his research has been published in leading academic journals, such as Strategic Management Journal, Journal of Management, Management Science, Journal of Business Research, California Management Review, and Human Relations, among others, and has received many thousands of citations in prominent journals and books. Prof. Weber has further been senior consultant to CEOs, top executives and directors in leading companies and has conducted numerous workshops to top executives in many countries.

Riad Shams is Assistant Professor and Head of the PhD programme at the Newcastle Business School, Northumbria University, UK. He is a board member of the Northern Advanced Research Training Initiative, a fellow of the Higher Education Academy and the EuroMed Academy of Business, and associate editor of the Journal of Social Entrepreneurship. He has co-authored a core textbook, Marketing Management: Past, Present and Future, which is currently in its 4th edition. Follow­ing a cross-disciplinary approach, his research addresses environmental, societal, and managerial issues in Sustainable Marketing, Social Business, Strategic Marketing, Brand Management, Digital Marketing, and International Marketing. His research projects focus on exploring issues of societal and environmental agenda, and involve external industry partners, including non-profit organisations. He has a sustained record of highly reputable published journal papers, research chapters and books in the field of business, and he delivered keynote speeches at international academic forums and edited for world-leading and internationally prominent journals, and led academic tracks in several conferences, chairing the 17th NARTI Annual Conference in North-East England (2024).

Evangelos Tsoukatos is adjunct faculty at the University of Nicosia, Cyprus and the Hellenic Open University, Greece. He holds a B.Sc. from the “Aristotelion” University of Thessaloniki, Greece, and a Postgraduate Diploma, a M.A. and Ph.D. from Lancaster University Management School, UK. Prior to joining academia, Dr Tsoukatos had extensive experience as consultant and in senior management positions. Dr Tsoukatos holds the position of Vice President at the EuroMed Research Business Institute, he is Senior Associate Editor of the EuroMed Journal of Business (EMJB) and editorial board member in a number of international scholarly journals. His research interests are in Services Management, Quality Management, Cross-Cultural Management and Entrepreneurship. He has lectured on the topics at several universities internationally and has published widely in these fields in many prominent, peer reviewed international academic journals. He has also edited a large number of scientific books and organised major international scientific conferences in many countries. His research has been widely and substantially cited by his peers, and in leading scientific journals.