Leadership in Faith-Based Nonprofits: The Power of Identity Boundaries to Bind and Blind

Nonprofit Management & Leadership, Vol. 20, No. 4, pp. 461-472, 2010

Boston U. School of Management Research Paper No. 2010-22

13 Pages Posted: 6 Jun 2010 Last revised: 27 Mar 2012

See all articles by Jeffrey Yip

Jeffrey Yip

Simon Fraser University

Edmund Twohill

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Chris Ernst

Center for Creative Leadership (Greensboro)

Vijayan P. Munusamy

Center for Creative Leadership, Asia Pacific

Date Written: 2010

Abstract

This case study illustrates the unique challenges of leading a faith-based nonprofit organization within a multifaith constituency in Asia. The core themes of the case are based on research conducted with the staff, executive team, and board members of an international faith-based nonprofit organization in Asia. Specifically, the case focuses on three identity-based leadership dilemmas in relation to (1) creating a shared sense of organizational identity, (2) talent management, and (3) board governance. By describing the challenges faced by the CEO, the case shows how a strong faith-based identification can positively bind an organization together, but also result in organizational blind spots with unintended consequences.

Keywords: Leadership, Management, Nonprofit, Governance, Social Identity

Suggested Citation

Yip, Jeffrey and Twohill, Edmund and Ernst, Chris and Munusamy, Vijayan P., Leadership in Faith-Based Nonprofits: The Power of Identity Boundaries to Bind and Blind (2010). Nonprofit Management & Leadership, Vol. 20, No. 4, pp. 461-472, 2010 , Boston U. School of Management Research Paper No. 2010-22, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1621339

Jeffrey Yip (Contact Author)

Simon Fraser University ( email )

Beedie School of Business
500 Granville Street
Vancouver, British Columbia V6C 1W6
Canada

HOME PAGE: http://https://www.jeffreyyip.net/

Edmund Twohill

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

Chris Ernst

Center for Creative Leadership (Greensboro) ( email )

One Leadership Place
Greensboro, NC 27438-6300
United States

Vijayan P. Munusamy

Center for Creative Leadership, Asia Pacific ( email )

238A Thomson Road #16-06/08
Novena Square Tower A
Singapore
Singapore

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