Business Ethics of a Leader of NGO for Children in Needs

The purpose of the research is to study the business ethics of a leader of non-government organization that provides the assistance to needed children. The study is conducted in Belgorod region (Russia) in May – June 2016. The targeted sample includes formal and informal leaders (n = 281) from 52 NGOs which provide services for children in needs. The main method of the research is a structured interview with formal and informal leaders of NGOs, located in Belgorod region. Currently, the total number of non-profit organizations in Belgorod region is 2141, but only 52 of them have been supported by the government. The results of the research has showed the following: first of all, most of the official leaders of non-profit organizations are people aged 40 years and older while the age of most informal leaders of NGOs is around 60. Secondly, 80% of regular employees of non-profit organizations have been familiar with their colleagues before they start working together; in most cases the person who is the initiator of the creation of the NGO, then has become its leader. Thirdly, the majority of regional non-profit organizations are relatively closed; more than 20 % of respondents indicate that they work together with their relatives, and the rest of the employees are people who fully share the moral and corporative values of the organization. Fourthly, on the one hand informal interpersonal relationships between employees promote trust and mutual assistance, reduce barriers in communication process, but on the other hand they reduce the development of the organization, prevent NGOs from the search for new ideas and resources. Fifthly, the main conditions that are allowed non-profit organizations to achieve their goals are an authoritative leader (70 %), his/her personal and professional experience (68 %), as well as a well-established reputation in professional sphere based on the business etiquette (62 %).