We examine the role of autonomy in the achievement (or non‐achievement) of the objectives of international organizations (IOs). Using a configurational approach, we theorize four scenarios related to autonomy, with regards to the experience and financial resources available to IOs. Our results, based on a qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) applied to 20 IOs in the United Nations (UN) system, demonstrate that autonomy can be a condition for both the success or the failure of an IO. Our study calls for the development of a systems theory of IO performance that takes into account the interdependence of conditions and the equifinality of solutions that explain the success (or failure) of these organizations in the pursuit of their mission.
We examine the role autonomy plays for International Organisations (IO) in achieving their objectives. Using a configurational approach, we theorize four scenarios of the impact of autonomy in relation to their experience and the financial resources at their disposal. Our results, based on a qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) applied to 20 IOs of the United Nations (UN) system, demonstrate that autonomy can be a condition for both the success or the failure of an IO. Our research calls for the development of a systems theory of the performance of IOs that considers the interdependence of conditions and the equifinality of solutions that explain the success (the failure) of organizations in the pursuit of their mission.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.