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Article 1
Representation in Nonprofit and Voluntary Organizations: A Conceptual Framework. 
Guo, C., Musso, J. (2007) 
Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 36: 308–326.

Discussion Questions

• How can a nonprofit organization ensure that it is fully representing its constituents?
• How can a nonprofit organization ensure that it is responsive to the needs of its constituents?
• Does the nonprofit board reflect its constituents? Does the makeup of the board of directors mirror the community it serves?

 

Article 2 
Acting in the Public Interest? Another Look at Research in Nonprofit Governance.
Stone, M., Ostrower, F. (2007)
Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 36: 416–438.

Discussion Questions

• What does the research indicate in the area of board–staff relationships?
• What areas of board effectiveness does the research explore?
• How can a nonprofit improve its effectiveness through this research?

 

Article 3 
Understanding the Behavior of Nonprofit Boards of Directors: A Theory-Based Approach. 
Miller-Millesen, J. (2003) 
Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 32: 521.

Discussion Questions

• According to the research, what is agency theory and how can it be applied to nonprofit boards of directors?
• What is resource dependence theory and how can it be applied to nonprofit boards of directors?
• What is institutional theory and how can it be applied to nonprofit boards of directors?

 

Article 4 
Preserving the Publicness of the Nonprofit Sector: Resources, Roles, and Public Values 
Moulton, S., Eckerd, A. (2012)
Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 41(4): 656–685.

Discussion Questions

• Explain the Nonprofit Role Index and how it is used to measure the relationship between organizational values and public funding.
• Describe resource dependency theory and identify the role it may play on leadership behavior.
• Explain how open systems theory is used to study how the nonprofit sector may identify public values.

 

Article 5 
Nonprofit Governance and Accountability: Broadening the Theoretical Perspective.
Coule, T. (2015) 
Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 44(4): 75–97. 

Discussion Questions

• Critique the author’s perspective that governance theories (agency, steward, and principal–agent relationship) are not morally defensible or socially sustainable models of organization.
• Explore the author’s Typology of Nonprofit Governance and Accountability and explain why the author refers to agency theory and stewardship theory as unitary logic.

 

Article 6
The Governance of Nonprofit Organizations: Integrating Agency Theory with Stakeholder and Stewardship Theories 
Van Puyvelde, S., Caers, R., Bois, Cind B.,Jegers, M. (2012)
Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 41(3): 431–451.

Discussion Questions

• Examine agency theory and stewardship theory and their relationship to principal agent–agent theory. Explain how these theories may be applied to study organizational effectiveness.
• Compare and contrast agency theory and stewardship theory.