The causes and consequences of formalization and professionalization in the U.S. advocacy sector, 1960-2009

• Main Author: Dollhopf, Erica Jane
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Published: ProQuest Dissertations & Theses 01.01.2016
• Subjects: Organizational behavior; Sociology
• ISBN: 9781369403275; 1369403275

This study documents and examines the growth of the advocacy sector from 1960-2009 in a longitudinal study spanning issue areas. The research allows, for the first time, detailed cross-sector and over-time comparisons within this organizational industry. First, the data collection procedures used to generate LOADS (Leader and Organization Advocacy Data Set), the data set constructed for this research, are discussed in detail. Next, this data set is used to analyze three facets of advocacy organizations in detail. Chapter 3 establishes and examines the formalization and professionalization in the advocacy sector, addressing the consequences of this process, such as the effect of formalization on long-term organizational survival. This chapter finds that while formalization is generally associated with survival, it is not an absolute requisite. In addition, the "iron law" of oligarchy appears to be more of an "aluminum law" in this particular sample. Chapter 4 assesses factors associated with an increased likelihood of leadership transition overall and across three distinct time periods, exploring whether predictors of leadership transition occur most frequently at the leader, organizational, or environmental level. Leader gender and having chapters were associated with more leadership transitions overall, while factors such as founding year and time to formalization affected leadership transitions only during specific time periods. Finally, chapter 5 addresses the subject of leadership and gender in the advocacy sector. The analyses document the widespread feminization of executive leadership in advocacy organizations from 1960 to 2009 and find that female leaders are more likely to be associated with organizational death, suggesting a possible "glass cliff" effect for female advocacy leaders. Models of executive leader compensation for nonprofit advocacy organizations early 2000s through the early 2010s indicate that there is no difference in compensation between women and men holding executive advocacy positions.