The Future Challenges of Cross Sector Interactions: Interaction between NonProfit Organisations and Businesses

Abstract

The paper aims to offer a starting point of a future research agenda on Cross Sector Social Partnerships that will be informed by both theory and practice, addressing the challenges that both business and nonprofit organisations will face due to and as a result of their increased interactions. In order to articulate the need for both organisational and social change through cross sector social partnerships the paper suggests that it is required to move towards multidimensional levels of analysis within multiple contexts that will emphasise a historical perspective rather than an ahistorical analysis of events outside of their context. Hence four categories are proposed in order to group a future research agenda: context, process, content and impacts. By extending the three levels of Pettigrew’s analysis of change the paper suggests that there is a need to include a fourth category that refers to the impacts/consequences of interactions. If indeed partnerships are able to facilitate change within their context but also in their external environment then we need to similarly study their impacts. The paper offers research suggestions under each of the four proposed categories and also on methodological issues within partnerships research.