Increasing the perceived impact of non-profit organizations: the role of spontaneous and specific governance mechanisms[Accroître l’impact perçu des associations : le rôle des mécanismes spontanés et spécifiques de gouvernance]

Nonprofit organisations are playing an increasingly important role in society, and this is leading to ever greater demands from their partners in terms of governance and impact assessment. However, the literature on the impact of nonprofit organisations is still in its infancy, especially as the concept of impact itself is subjective and constructed, particularly by stakeholders. This research therefore focuses on the role of specific and spontaneous governance mechanisms in determining the impact of nonprofit organisations. These mechanisms focus on the relationships between nonprofit organisations and their stakeholders, and in particular mutual trust, satisfaction, commitment and influence. A subjective and reputational approach to the concept of impact is adopted, combined with the marketing evaluation framework proposed by Rey García, Álvarez González and Bello Acebrón (2013). The field of study was students from the University of Bordeaux, as students are known to have a higher level of involvement in nonprofit organisations than other generations (with the exception of retired people). They were asked to complete a survey on the concepts of governance, impact, contribution and the four governance mechanisms. 311 responses were received. The PLS-PM (Partial Least Squares – Path Modeling) analysis method was used. Governance does have an effect on organisational impact, as postulated. This direct link is not fully reflected in the details of the governance mechanisms. The impact perceived by the stakeholders (here, the students) is explained in particular by the mutual commitment and influence with the stakeholders and their contribution. This study therefore contributes to the understanding of the link between governance and the notion of nonprofit impact, and also proposes a framework for analysing nonprofit impact that can be reused by organisations and their partners. This study also contributes to the debate on the relationships between nonprofit organisations and their stakeholders. It allows a reciprocal (mutual) view of the relationship to emerge (and not just from the stakeholders to the nonprofit organisation), which is regularly neglected by research on impact but has already been highlighted by studies on governance. From the point of view of governance, this research proposes to steer specific and spontaneous mechanisms. Even if they are spontaneous and therefore less easy to capture, the mechanisms that relate to stakeholder relationships can be mobilised and become levers for improving the nonprofit organisation's impact. The results suggest that nonprofit organisations need to put in place a strategy for prioritising their stakeholders and an in-depth study of the mechanisms for maximising each stakeholder's contribution to the organisation's impact. A global strategy would ignore the specific characteristics of each stakeholder. The survey used to conduct this study may be relevant. Finally, the results also have an impact on the nonprofit's stakeholders, particularly those who evaluate and fund it. The relationship maintained with the nonprofit organisation is just as crucial as a traditional evaluation. A more subjective approach could therefore provide a new evaluation filter.