Strategic Management for Leaders of Non-Governmental Organizations

As many nations have undergone dramatic political and economic changes in the past two decades, the civil society sector in those countries has also experienced a rapid metamorphosis. While non-governmental organizations (NGOs) were virtually nonexistent during the Cold War era, thousands of domestic and international NGOs of all sizes began operating in the 1990s, establishing a vibrant civil society sector to accompany new government regimes and economic development. After this rapid expansion, the sector is now consolidating and NGOs face the challenge of defining sustainable roles in service provision, advocacy, and policy. 

The Strategic Management for Leaders of Non-Government Organizations Executive Education program is designed to give NGO leaders the tools, perspectives, and frameworks needed to strengthen their organizations, engage constituent communities and cultivate long-term partnerships and commitments. Through cutting edge research, case studies and presentations tailored to the unique needs of NGOs, this program provides the skills NGO leaders need to make informed and strategically sound decisions.

Strategic Management for Leaders of Non-Governmental Organizations is designed for NGO leaders in Southeastern and Eastern Europe, the Eastern Mediterranean, and the Middle East regions who are committed to improving the performance of their organizations.

Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply, as tuition support for participants may be available from institutional partners and third-party funding sources. Please see the Admission tab for application instructions and details in regard to fellowship opportunities.

The Learning Model 
The core of the Kennedy School teaching style is the case method, a tool pioneered at Harvard and used extensively in Kennedy School degree programs and Executive Education.  Each case is a real-life situation that stimulates participants to think through problem-solving methods and possible solutions to actual situations. By investigating successes and failures of real people in real situations, participants draw lessons relevant to their own professional experiences and challenges.

The Curriculum
The program will include the following topics:

• Business and strategic planning

• Partnership and collaboration

• Performance measurement and maintaining organizational focus

• Governance as leadership

• Accountability:  beginning and developing a committed and engaged constituency

For each topic, participants will be introduced to a set of frameworks in a case reading or discussion. Participants will then have the opportunity to consider its relevance for their organizations and discuss in group settings.  

This program will include a substantial amount of small group work, providing a valuable opportunity to form a network of partnerships among colleagues in regional nonprofit organizations.

Tentative schedule

Christine W. Letts is Rita S. Hauser Lecturer in the Practice of Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership and Senior Associate Dean for Executive Education. She is the coauthor of High Performance Nonprofit Organizations: Managing Upstream.

Johanna Mair is associate professor in the Strategic Management Department, IESE Business School. She currently teaches corporate strategy and entrepreneurial strategies for social impact on the MBA, Global Executive MBA and Executive Education programs; strategy research on the Ph.D. program; and course design on the International Faculty Development Program.

Brian S. Mandell is Senior Lecturer in Public Policy and Director of the schools Negotiation Project. He is also Chair of the Wexner-Israel and Kokkalis Fellowship programs at the school. His current teaching and research address the theory.

William P. Ryan is a research fellow at the Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations at Harvard University and a consultant to foundations and nonprofit organizations. His work, which focuses on nonprofit organizational effectiveness, has explored.