Practical Decision-Making for Non-Profit Managers

Packed with case studies and ripped-from-the-headlines examples, Non-Profit Organizations: Real Issues for Public Administrators introduces critical issues commonly encountered when managing non-profit organizations and gives you the tools to develop policies and procedures to meet the challenges that arise when these issues occur. The authors use the case study methodology to explore decision-making issues and provide potential solutions. It provides an applied framework to use when managing a non-profit organization.

The book provides case studies that range from unethical behavior to poor operational decisions to illegal activities in non-profit organizations. The authors discuss the events in phases and then identify what issues should concern the administrator and potential solutions to each phase of a case study. In addition, many of the case studies address more than one issue that threatened an organization’s finances and its credibility to its stakeholders and the public.

Using the information in this book, you can create a checklist of issues that will help you and your organization avoid scandals or alleged criminal activity, and better defuse fallout if an incident occurs. It gives you a "safe" environment in which to "live" through a case study without suffering the consequences of lost resources, assets, or worse, public trust, for your organization in reality.

Nicolas A. Valcik currently works as the Director for Institutional Research and as a Research Associate Professor in the Eberly School of Arts and Science – Public Administration department at West Virginia University. Formerly Nicolas was an Associate Director of Strategic Planning and Analysis for the University of Texas at Dallas and served as a clinical assistant professor for Public Affairs for the University of Texas at Dallas. Nicolas received a doctorate degree in public affairs from the University of Texas at Dallas in 2005, a master’s degree in public affairs from the University of Texas at Dallas in 1996, a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from the University of Texas at Dallas in 1994, and an associate’s degree in political science from Collin County Community College in 1994.

Prior to 1997 Nicolas worked for a number of municipalities, across different of departments, as well as for Nortel. In 2013 Nicolas authored Hazardous Materials Compliance for Public Research Organizations: A Case Study and in 2012 Nicolas co-authored with Paul E. Tracy Case Studies in Disaster Response and Emergency Management, both books were published by Taylor and Francis. In 2011 Nicolas co-authored with Ted Benavides Practical Human Resources Management for Public Managers: A Case Study Approach published by Taylor and Francis. Prior to 2011 Nicolas authored Regulating the Use of Biological Hazardous Materials in Universities: Complying with the New Federal Guidelines, which was published by Mellen Press in 2006. Nicolas has served as editor for three volumes of New Directions for Institutional Research (Volumes 135, 140, 146 and co-edited 156) in addition to writing numerous articles and book chapters on institutional research topics and homeland security issues. Nicolas specializes in several areas as both a researcher and a practitioner: higher education, information technology, human resources, homeland security, organizational behavior, and emergency management.