A Heuristic Framework for Understanding the Role of Participatory Decision Making in Community‐Based Non‐Profits

Abstract

This paper explores the role of member participation in decision-making (PDM) from an organizational learning (OL) perspective. Community-based organizations (CBOs) serve as mediators between the individual and the local community, often providing the means for community member participation and benefiting organizationally from members' input. Community psychologists have recognized these benefits; however, the field has paid less attention to the role participation plays in increasing CBOs' capacity to meet community needs. We present a framework for exploring how CBO contextual factors influence the use of participatory decision-making structures and practices, and how these affect OL. We then use the framework to examine PDM in qualitative case study analysis of four CBOs: a youth development organization, a faith-based social action coalition, a low-income neighborhood organization, and a large human service agency. We found that organizational form, energy, and culture each had a differential impact on participation in decision making within CBOs. We highlight how OL is constrained in CBOs and document how civic aims and voluntary membership enhanced participation and learning.

Fostering Learning Opportunities Through Employee Participation Amid Organizational Change

“…In previous studies, employee participation in organizational processes and decisions has been found to be very closely connected to learning in organizations (Bess et al 2011;Gherardi and Nicolini 2001;López et al 2006), and this also applies during organizational change (Easterby-Smith et al 2000;Lines 2005). Participation in an organization is defined as 'a style of working whereby organizational members from different functions and hierarchical levels work together in order to develop and implement a solution to an organizational problem' (Lines 2005, 158-159).…”

“…During organizational change, it may be more necessary than in regular organizational life to generate more effective ways of communicating (see Bess et al 2011). Edmondson and colleagues (2001) have found that, in successful teams, communication increased during the learning of new surgical technology.…”

“…If team members have different kinds of experience, skills, and knowledge, they can contribute by predicting the consequences of planned changes and, overall, provide the planning team with new information (Ashmos et al 1998). Participatory decision-making also empowers members, providing them with the responsibility and resources to make work-related decisions (Bess et al 2011). Learning through participation is possible if an organization has practices and structural mechanisms in place for joint decision-making and collective reflection (Bess et al 2011).…”

“…Participatory decision-making also empowers members, providing them with the responsibility and resources to make work-related decisions (Bess et al 2011). Learning through participation is possible if an organization has practices and structural mechanisms in place for joint decision-making and collective reflection (Bess et al 2011). Participation tends to occur in organizations which place a high value on rich connections among organizational members (Ashmos et al 1998).…”

“…Structures for participation denote work groups or regular meetings, whereas practices for participation are seen as the actions and practices of a group or a meeting that facilitate participation (see Bess et al 2011); these include the ways of interacting that enable employees to contribute to decision-making, and which facilitate collaborative processes and the communication of decisions across the organization (Bess et al 2011).…”