Introduction to Leadership and Management of
Non-profit Organizations
Syllabus
Spring 2013
School of Social Development and Public Policy
Beijing Normal University
Li Jing
Master of Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School
Executive Director, Beijing Vantone Foundation
Managing Director, China Foundation Center
lijing@vantonefound.org
Course Time: Friday 10:00 am – 11:40 am
Course Venue:
Office Hours: Friday, 9:00 am –10:00 am
Course Type: optional, 2 credits
Course Assistant: Chen Jian, easselchen@hotmail.com
Course Description
This course is designed to give students theoretical overview and practical analysis –
both at introductory level – of major issues on leadership and management of
nonprofit organizations, with references mainly on practice and exercise in China’s
context. With a purpose to help interested students first prepare themselves to pursue a
career and become future leaders in the non-profit sector, this course will examine key
components and features of leadership and management, and provides students with
preliminary understanding on how leadership is different from management, as well
as how they complement each other in the running of a non-for-profit entity. The
classes may hence focus on different aspects -- leadership or management -- of a
nonprofit organization, depending on the issues to be discussed. Drawing on live
cases in both China and abroad, the course will manifest to students how management
and leadership competencies play different roles to make contemporary non-profit
organizations successful. With the course unfolding itself, leaders and managers of
both Chinese and international non-profit/for-profit organizations will be invited to
classes and share their experience, successes and failures in exercising leadership and
management responsibilities, in forms of penal discussion and/or lecture. Participating
in the course demands readings, small group work and discussions, and presentation.
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Course Requirements
Each student will be required to participate in all classes and engage him/herself
actively into class discussion. The student will be asked to finish one mid-term
research paper and one final paper, based on either of which the students will be asked
to do a 10-15 minutes presentation in class. Each of the papers shall be based on the
case(s) provided. The students are required to analyze the case(s) with application of
theory and/or with reference to practice/cases studied in class. Further instructions
about the paper requirement will be given during the semester. It is important that the
students review the readings designated in the syllabus before the class. Failure in
answering cold-call on questions related to class readings will result in bad grading of
class participation.
This is an introductory level class designed for SSDPP international students who are
interested in pursuing a successful career in the nonprofit sector, either here in China
or elsewhere. Although no previous experience working in a nonprofit organization or
studying in a related course is required as prerequisites, certain level of understanding
and knowledge about nonprofit organizations is preferred.
Course Grading
Your grade will be determined as follows:
Component
%
Class participation
30%
Mid-term paper
25%
Final paper
35%
Presentation
10%
Due date
Week 2-18
Week 12
Week 19
Week 17&19
Key Reference Books
1. Lewis, David. 2006. The Management of Non-Governmental Development
Organizations. Taylor & Francis
2. Renz, David O., ed. 2010. The Jossey-Bass Handbook of Nonprofit Leadership
and Management. 3rd ed. Jossey-Bass.
Course Outline
Part I Basics and Essences
Week 1 Introduction to Course; Introduction to CSO movement and development:
global and in China
Week 2 Management and leadership: key concepts and ideas
Week 3 Leading a for-profit vs. a nonprofit: similarities and differences
Part II Leading the Nonprofit People
Week 4 Motivation and features of nonprofit people: why they join a nonprofit
Week 5 Communication in all forms: a key to successful leadership
Week 6 Qingming Vacation
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Week 7 Leading by style and managing with skills
Week 8 Guest speaker: Ms. Zhang Ye, former Country Representative, the Asia
Foundation: 5 Key Issues in Leading the Nonprofit People….
Part III Managing Your Program
Week 9
Program basics: what do program mean?
Week 10 Program cycle management: from design to evaluation
Week 11 Reaching impact: leadership in program
Week 12 Guest speaker: Mr. Wei Wei, Country Director, Right To Play China Office:
Key Factors for Successful Programs
Mid-term Paper Due
Part IV Money Matters
Week 13 Nonprofit finance basics: what you need to know
Week 14 Make money rise: investment and fundraising
Part V Leading for Change
Week 15 NPO in a changing world
Week 16 Managing ups and downs
Week17 Guest speaker: Mr. Wu Chong or Ms. Pan Jiangxue, co-founder of
Cherished Dream Foundation: what makes a good leader? Or a small
workshop on the same topic
Final presentation (1st half)
Week 18 Final presentation (2nd half)
Final paper Due
Week 19 NPO visit: Shining Stone or The Facilitator (optional)
Part I Basics and Essences
This part will introduce to the students basic concepts about the nonprofit sector, as
well as management and leadership, with a focus on similarities and differences
between them. Through examination of the essence of management and leadership,
both for for-profit and non-profit organizations, this part of the course hopes to help
the students reach basic understanding on management and leadership concepts about
an non-profit organization.
Week 1 Introduction to Course/ Introduction to CSO movement and
development: global and China
Readings:
Mandate
1. Lewis, David. Chapter 2 “Theory of NGO Management – Contexts, Histories and
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2.
3.
4.
5.
Concepts”, Management of Non-Governmental Development Organizations,
Second Edition, Routledge, 2006
Martens, Kerstin. “Mission Impossible? Defining Nongovernmental Organizations”
Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations，Vol. 13,
No. 3, September 2002, pp. 271-285
Chan Kin-Man ， Civil Society and Social Capital in China ；
http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/centre/ccss/publications/km_chan/CKM_13.pdf
Shi, Yin-hong, the issue of civil society in China and its complexity,
http://www.apcss.org/Publications/Edited%20Volumes/GrowthGovernance_files/
Pub_Growth%20Governance/Pub_GrowthGovernancech18.pdf
UN Non-government Liaison Service, Brief History of UN-CSO Engagement,
http://www.un-ngls.org/spip.php?page=article_s&id_article=796
Optional
6. UNDP and Civil Society Organizations: A Policy of Engagement, 2011
7. Narberhaus, Michael, WWF-UK “Effective strategies for the great transition: A
roadmap for civil society organizations”, Discussion Paper for the Steady State
Economy Conference, Leeds - June 19th, 2010
Questions to be discussed

What are non-government organizations (NGO), nonprofit organizations (NPO)
and civil society organizations (CSOs)? What are the differences between them?


Why NGOs/CSOs exist?
What are the latest trends in global NGO/CSO movement?
Week 2 Management and leadership: key concepts and ideas
Readings:
1. Kotter, John P. “A Force for Change, How Leadership Differs from Management,”
Management and Leadership, Collier MacMillan Publishers, pp. 3‐18 (2004)
(HKS Course Page)
2. Stellar Leadership, “Leadership And Management”, www.stellarleadership.com
3. Stellar Leadership, “What Is Leadership”, www.stellarleadership.com
Questions to be discussed
 What is the essence of management?
 What is the essence of leadership?
 How management differs from leadership, and in what aspects?
Week 3 Leading and managing a for-profit vs. a nonprofit: similarities and
differences
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Readings:
Mandate
1. Les Silverman & Lynn Taliento, Business Executives should know about
nonprofits ，Stanford Social Innovation Review, 2006
2. Lewis, David, Theorizing The Organization and Management of
Non-Governmental Development Organizations: Towards a composite approach,
Public Management Review, Vol. 5 Issue 3, 2003, 325–344
3. Moore Mark H. Managing for Value: Organizational Strategy in For-Profit,
Nonprofit, and Governmental Organizations, Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector
Quarterly, 2000: 29: 183
Optional
Fredericksen, Patricia J. book review: Managing in the Nonprofit Sector, Public
Administration Review, Vol. 63, No. 1 (Jan. - Feb., 2003), pp. 112-11
Questions to be discussed
 How leading and managing a nonprofit contrast with a for-profit?
 What are the new challenges in nonprofit and for-profit leadership and
management, respectively?
 How nonprofit and for-profit leadership and management may learn from each
other?
Part II Leading the Nonprofit People
This part of the course will help students to understand the different aspects of a
nonprofit person, and the importance and different means of communication within a
nonprofit organization, so as to help students establish attention to people
management in nonprofit originations to achieve effective leadership.
Week 4 Understanding the nonprofit people: who join a nonprofit?
Readings:
1. Handbook: building NGO/CBO Capacity: Chapter 4: EMPLOYEE
MOTIVATION E-M-P-O-W-E-R-M-E-N-T: Another way to spell motivation.
2. Vijay Padaki, The Human Organisation: “Challenges in NGOs and Development
Programmes”, Development in Practice, Volume 17, Number 1, February 2007
3. Tierney, Thomas J. “The Nonprofit Sector’s Leadership Deficit” , The Bridgespan
Group, 2006
Questions to be discussed
 What are the features of nonprofit people: are they really different?
 Why people join an NPO?
 What are those features’ implications to the leader of NPOs
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Week 5 Communication in all forms: a key to success (interpersonal/within
organization)
Readings:
1. Fragale, Alison R., “The power of powerless speech: The effects of speech style
and task interdependence on status conferral,” Organizational Behavior and
Human Decision Processes 101 (2006): pp. 243-261.
2. Jacqueline &Milton, “Leader Communication Strategies Critical Paths to
Improving Employee Commitment”, American Business Review, June 2006
3. Tools
for
Responsive
Communication,
http://www.ankn.uaf.edu/curriculum/AxeHandleAcademy/rc/learning.htm
Questions to be discussed
 How information-sharing different from communication?
 What are the key aspects of communication in a nonprofit organization?
 What might be the most effective ways of communication as a leader of a
nonprofit?
Week 6 Qingming Vacation
Week 7 Leading by style and manage with skills
Readings:
1. Evans, Matt H. CPA, CMA, CFM , Creating Value in the Nonprofit Sector,
Chapter
1&4,
http://faculty.ksu.edu.sa/alashikh/my%20document/Financial%20Management/Cr
eating%20Value%20in%20the%20Nonprofit%20Sector.pdf
2. Hoefer, Richard, Chapter 37: Basic skills of nonprofit leadership, In book
Leadership in Nonprofit organizations, p321-328
3. Nonprofit Leadership Alliance Report, Skills Nonprofit sector requires for its
managers and leaders, 2011
Questions to be discussed
 What is a leading style? What are the key elements of a leading style for a NPO
leader?
 What are the main leadership and management skills for a NPO.
Week 8 Guest speaker: Ms. Zhang Ye, former Country Representative, the Asia
Foundation
5 Key Issues in Leading the Nonprofit People….
Part III Managing Your Program
Through examining key components of program management, this part helps students
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establish concepts about program management, particularly about effectiveness and
impact of program of nonprofit organizations.
Week 9 Program basics: what does program mean?
Readings:
1. Ken Robertson, Project / Program / Portfolio Management – What Does it Really
Mean? http://www.klr.com/articles/Articles_PM_project_program_portfolio_mgmt.pdf
2. Logic Model, http://www.uwex.edu/ces/pdande/evaluation/evallogicmodel.html
3. Project manual , OPD. http://www.iin.oea.org/manual_proyectos_ingles.PDF
Questions to be discussed
 What is program? What are the key elements of program?
 What do programs mean to nonprofit organizations?
 Logframe
 Underlying values: Mainstreaming, rights-based approach
Week 10 Program cycle management: from design to evaluation
Readings:
1. Project
Cycle
Management,
PRODEV,
2010,
http://www.prodev-project.eu/fileadmin/prodev_PCM_manual_adapted_final_en.
pdf
Questions to be discussed
 What are the key components of program cycle management?
 Why program cycle management important to nonprofits?
 What are main tools for program cycle management?
Week 11 Reaching impact through a strategy: leadership in program
Readings:
1. Robert S. Kaplan, “Strategic Performance Measurements”, Nonprofit
Management & Leadership, 11(3), Spring 2001
2. Ricardo Wilson-Grau, “The risk approach to strategic management of
development NGOs”, Development in Practice, Volume 14, Number 3, November
2003
3. NGOs and Impact Assessment, NGO Policy Briefing Paper No. 3, March 2001,
http://www.google.com.hk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=measure+program+impact+on+NG
O&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&ved=0CEcQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.
samea.org.za%2Findex.php%3Fmodule%3DMediaAttach%26func%3Ddownload
%26fileid%3D50&ei=HdXuUIvhGdGckgXnjYHICw&usg=AFQjCNF7HxJXcfh
HzkV6P_yFNnnWabsfug
Questions to be discussed
 What are results for a nonprofit program? How to measure program results?
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


How impact is different from other program results? How to measure program
impact?
Why program impact important to a nonprofit organization?
How program strategy affects program results?
Week 12 Guest speaker: Mr. Wei Wei, Country Director, Rights to Play China
Office
Key Factors for Successful Programs?
Part IV Money Matters
This part examines key aspects of nonprofit finance management, including
organizational finance and program finance, as well as investment and fundraising. It
helps students to understand the key components of finance management.
Week 13 Nonprofit finance basics: what you need to know
Readings:
1. Financial Management of not-for-profit Organizations, CPA, 2009,
http://118.26.57.16:83/1Q2W3E4R5T6Y7U8I9O0P1Z2X3C4V5B/www.cpaaustra
lia.com.au/cps/rde/xbcr/cpa-site/financial_management_of_not-for-profits.pdf
2. Ricardo Wilson-Grau, “Strategic Risk Management for Development NGOs: The
Case of a Grant-maker” Seton Hall Journal of Diplomacy and International
Relations, 2004
Questions to be discussed
 What are the key elements of finance management of a nonprofit organization?
 What a nonprofit organization leader shall pay attention to?
 What are the basic tools for nonprofit finance management?
Week 14 Make money rise: investment and fundraising
Readings
1. Peter Kim et al, 10 Model of Funding, Stanford Social Innovation Review,
http://www.ssireview.org/articles/entry/ten_nonprofit_funding_models/
2. Sasha Dichter , In defense of raising money, 2008
3. Maureen Berner et al, “Two Models for Nonprofit Funding Allocation: Lessons
for Nonprofit Managers”, Journal for Non-profit Management ,VOL. 14 , 2010
Questions to be discussed
 What are the major concerns when a nonprofit makes investments?
 What are the latest means and practice of investment in the nonprofit sector?
 What are the keys to successful fundraising for a nonprofit organization?
 How internet is affecting nonprofit fundraising?
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Part V Leading for Change
We are living in a fast changing world – so it is true to the nonprofit sector. All leaders,
successful or not, are both forced to face changes every day. Positive response to
change may result in better response to changes. Leaders must lead the process. This
part of the course helps students to establish understanding the leaders’ role in
responding to changes.
Week 15 NPO in a Changing World
Readings
1. Successfully Transforming NGOs: Leading Change ， ESADE ， 2010 ，
http://www.google.com.hk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=1.%09Successfully+Transforming+
NGOs%3A+Leading+Change&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CDAQFjAA
&url=http%3A%2F%2Fitemsweb.esade.es%2Fwi%2Fresearch%2Fiis%2Fpublica
cions%2FSuccessful_transformation_NGO_ENG_rev.pdf&ei=M9vuUJa3JIbgkg
XvlYDoBA&usg=AFQjCNER0bUlQmz4CuOy8xaN0XVx2kBvQA
2. By Paul Brest , “Theory of Change”, Stanford Social Innovation Review, 2010
Questions to be discussed
 What are the latest trends in CSO movement, globally and in China?
 What are the driving forces behind nonprofit changes?
 What are their implications to nonprofit leadership and management?
Week 16 Managing ups and downs
Readings
1. Managing
Change,
ENVEC,
2007,
http://118.26.57.15:82/1Q2W3E4R5T6Y7U8I9O0P1Z2X3C4V5B/www.oursouth
west.com/SusBus/mggchange.pdf
2. Adaptation and changes in six globalizing NGOs, drives, tension and lesson, 2010,
http://www.hks.harvard.edu/hauser/engage/humanitarianorganizations/research/do
cuments/adaptation_change_in_six_globalizing_NGOs.pdf
Questions to be discussed
 What are the main challenges that nonprofit leaders are usually faced with?
 How ups and downs transform to each other?
 What are the main responsibilities and qualities for nonprofit leaders in
responding to changes
Week 17 Guest speaker: Mr. Wu Chong or Ms. Pan Jiangxue, co-founder of True
Dream Foundation
What makes a good nonprofit leader?
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Or a small workshop on the same topic.
Week 18
Paper Presentation
Week 19 NPO visit: Shining Stone or The Facilitator (Optional)
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