ROLAND J. KUSHNER. PUBLICATIONS, 1981 – 2025
ARTICLES IN PEER-REVIEWED JOURNALS AND PROCEEDINGS
Kushner, R.J. (Fall 2023). What Were You Thinking? A Constructive Epistemology of Nonprofit Policy Development, Journal of Nonprofit Education and Leadership 13 (4), 27-38
Kushner, R. J. (Spring 2023) The Invisible Balance Sheet, Stanford Social Innovation Review
Kushner, R. J. (2022) “Teaching Curatorial Decision-Making with the Inner Impresario American Journal of Arts Management (Teaching Notes) Vol 11, May 2022.
King, Sean, R. J. Kushner, David Mickenberg & Todd A. Watkins, (2022, Spring) What Next for the Cultural Coalition? Pandemic as turning point in reimagining the governance of regional arts and culture service, Journal of Nonprofit Education and Leadership 12 (2)
Kushner, R. J. (2019), Building, Leading and Sustaining a Cultural Enterprise. Martin Guitar in 2019 The CASE Journal, 15 (4), 306-336. doi: 10.1108/TCJ-07-2018-0086
Kushner, R.J. (2018), Evaluating a Nonprofit Health Index as a Policy Tool, Nonprofit Policy Forum, 9(3), doi:10.1515/npf-2018-0010
Kushner, R. J. & Randy Cohen (2017, Fall), Creating a Policy Index for the Arts, Stanford Social Innovation Review 15(4) 48-53
Kushner, R. J. & Randy Cohen (2011), Measuring National-Level Cultural Capacity with the National Arts Index, International Journal of Arts Management 13 (3), 20-40
Kushner, R. J. (2011) Scale, Scope and Structure in the Community Chorus Industry, Journal of Arts Management, Law, and Society 41 (1), 38-54
Kushner, R. J. (2003) Understanding the Links Between Performing Artists and Audiences Journal of Arts Management, Law, and Society 33(2), 114-126.
Brooks, Arthur C. & R. J. Kushner (2002) What Makes an Arts Capital? Quantifying a City’s Cultural Environment, International Journal of Arts Management 5(1).
Brooks, Arthur C. & R. J. Kushner (2001) Cultural Districts and Urban Development, International Journal of Arts Management 3 (2) 4-15.
Brooks, Arthur C. & R. J. Kushner (2000) The One-Man Band by the Quick Lunch Stand: Modeling Audience Response to Street Performance. Journal of Cultural Economics 24 (1) 65-77.
Kushner, R. J. (1999) Curriculum as Strategy: The Scope and Organization of Business Education in Liberal Arts Colleges. Journal of Higher Education 70 (4), 413-440.
Erickson, Scott G. & R. J. Kushner (1999) Public Event Networks: An Application of Marketing Theory to Sporting Events European Journal of Marketing 33(4)
Kushner, R. J. & P. P. Poole (1996), Structure-Effectiveness Relationships in Nonprofit Arts Organizations Nonprofit Management & Leadership 7(2),
Kushner, R. J. (1997) Business Education in Liberal Arts Colleges: Contemporary Views and a Future Perspective, in Crocitto, M. P., ed. Proceedings of the Eastern Academy of Management. New Brunswick, NJ: Eastern Academy of Management
Kushner, R. J. & Arthur E. King. (1994) Performing Arts as a Club Good: Evidence from a Nonprofit Organization Journal of Cultural Economics 18(1).
Kushner, R. J. (1994) What is it? vs. What it is?: An Open Systems Approach to Organizational Effectiveness. In Mainero, L. A. & Palmer, D. D. Proceedings of the Eastern Academy of Management. Albany, NY: Eastern Academy of Management.
PEER-REVIEWED BOOK CHAPTERS
Kushner, R. J. (2025). Darling Corey’s is Buying the Building Again. In Searing, E. and Young, D. (eds.), Case Studies on Nonprofit Resilience Management. Edward Elgar: Cheltenham, UK.
Kushner, R. J. (2025) Place of Hope and the Board Meeting Disruption in Levesque, Laura (ed.) People Management Skills in Practice: A case study collection (UK: Routledge, Taylor and Francis Group.
Sung, H., Kushner, R. J., & Hager, M. A. (2020). Exploring the dimensional structure of the arts in communities. In Phillips, Rhonda G., Mark Brennan, and Tingxuan Li (eds.), Culture, community, and development (pp.103-115). London: Routledge.
Kushner, R. J. (2013) Cultural Enterprise Formation and Cultural Participation in America’s Counties in Rushton, Michael (ed.) Creative Communities: Art Works in Economic Development. Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press & National Endowment for the Arts
Kushner, R. J. (1996) Positive Rationales for Corporate Arts Support, in Martorella, Roseanne, ed. Art and Business. An International Perspective on Sponsorship. Westport, CT: Praeger Press
COMMISSIONED PUBLIC DATA REPORTS:
Kushner, Roland J. and Olivares, Alexandra (2026, forthcoming): Case Study: The United States of America National Statistical Framework in Grincheva, N., Pratt, A., Kushner, R., Saha, P., Wilmink, M., Olivares, A., Noh, M. and Loh, M. 2026. “National Cultural Statistics Frameworks: Comparative Case Studies of the USA, UK, South Korea and Singapore.” Montreal: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Kushner, Roland J., and Cohen, Randy. National Arts Index (NAI), United States, 1996–2017. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2019-05-14. https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR37309.v1
Kushner, Roland J., and Cohen, Randy. Local Arts Index (LAI), United States, 2009–2015. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2018-03-02. https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR36984.v1
Kushner, R. J. (2017) Choral Conductors Today: An Updated Report. A Comparison Of 2017 And 2005 Findings. Washington, DC: Chorus America
“National Arts Index” reports, 2010–2016, in Americans for the Arts Download Center:
- Kushner, R. J. & R. Cohen (2016) National Arts Index 2016. An Annual Measure of the Vitality of Arts and Culture in the United States, 2002–2013 Washington, DC: Americans for the Arts
- Kushner, R. J. & R. Cohen (2014) National Arts Index 2014. An Annual Measure of the Vitality of Arts and Culture in the United States, 2001–2012 Washington, DC: Americans for the Arts
- Kushner, R. J. & R. Cohen (2013) National Arts Index 2013. An Annual Measure of the Vitality of Arts and Culture in the United States, 2000–2011 Washington, DC: Americans for the Arts
- Kushner, R. J. & R. Cohen (2012) National Arts Index 2012. An Annual Measure of the Vitality of Arts and Culture in the United States, 1999–2010 Washington, DC: Americans for the Arts
- Kushner, R. J. & R. Cohen (2011) National Arts Index 2010. An Annual Measure of the Vitality of Arts and Culture in the United States, 1998–2009 Washington, DC: Americans for the Arts
- Kushner, R. J. & R. Cohen (2010) National Arts Index 2009. An Annual Measure of the Vitality of Arts and Culture in the United States, 1998–2008 Washington, DC: Americans for the Arts
Kushner, R. J. (2006-2008, 2010-2016) Choral Operations Survey Report [summary of US chorus music activity] Washington, DC: Chorus America (ten reports)
Deegan, Michele M. & R. J. Kushner (2012) Lehigh Valley Nonprofit Vital Statistics. Allentown, PA: Muhlenberg College
Kushner, R. J. & Arthur C. Brooks (2005) The Leadership of America’s Choruses. A Study of Choral Conductors. Washington, DC: Chorus America
Kushner, R. J. (2005) OPERA America Annual Field Report Washington, DC: Opera America.
Kushner, R. J. & Debra Harrison (2004) OPERA America Annual Field Report Washington, DC: Opera America.
Kushner, R. J. & Thomas H. Pollak (2004). The Finances and Operations of Nonprofit Performing Arts Organizations in 2001 and 2002. Highlights and Executive Summary. Washington, DC: Urban Institute
Kushner, R. J. & Arthur Brooks (2000) The Arts Economy in 20 Cities: Where Does Atlanta Stand? Atlanta, GA: Research Atlanta, Inc.
Brooks, Arthur C. & R. J. Kushner (2000) A Cultural District for Downtown Atlanta Atlanta, GA: Research Atlanta, Inc.
Kushner, R. J. & Susan Y. McGorry (1998) Vendor Location as An Influence on Purchaser Choice, Kalmbach Report No. 10. Bethlehem, PA: Lehigh University.
Kushner, R. J. (1996) Tourism in the Lehigh Valley: An Economic Perspective Kalmbach Report No. 6. Bethlehem, PA: Lehigh University
BOOK REVIEWS
Kushner, R. J. (2020). Parks, Jeffrey A. Stronger Than Steel. Forging a Rust Belt Renaissance. Bethlehem, PA: Rocky Rapids Press. In Journal of Arts Management, Law & Society
Kushner, R. J. (2009) Barber, B, Consumed. How Markets Corrupt Children, Infantilize Adults, and Swallow Citizens Whole, Norton 2008 in Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly 38(4), 730-732
Kushner, R. J. (2006) Rob Paton, 2003, Managing and Measuring Social Enterprises, in Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly 35(1), 144-147.
Kushner, R. J. (2005), Terry Nichols Clark: 2004, The City as an Entertainment Machine, Research in Urban Policy, Vol. 9, in Journal of Cultural Economics 29 (2)
Kushner, R. J. (1998) Tschirhart, Mary. (1996) Artful Leadership. Managing Stakeholder Problems in Nonprofit Arts Organizations, Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly 27(3)
INVITED PRESENTATIONS AND PARTICIPATION
The Invisible Balance Sheet presentation to the Executive Fellows, Lee Iacocca Institute for Global Leadership, April 2025
A New Approach for Measuring and Strengthening Nonprofit Capacity, Stanford Social Innovation Review webinar, May 2023
Towards a Constructive Epistemology of Arts Management Education virtual webinar, Association of Arts Administration Educators, May 2023
Assets and Liabilities Resilience Strategy, an interactive video workshop for the National Center on Nonprofit Enterprise, October 2021
ICPSR Data Depositors Tell All! (a Q&A session), Webinar, Oct 4, 2018
Market Research for the Arts to Pennsylvania Council on the Arts Marketing Boot Camp, Lancaster (2017), Pittsburgh (2018)
Arts Vitality and Community Development, to Lehigh Valley Community Foundation, Bethlehem, PA, April 2017
Measuring the Vitality of Arts and Culture in the U.S. with the National Arts Index, to Korea Arts Management Service 2015 Arts Industry Forum, Seoul, South Korea, December 2015
Nonprofit Struggle and Success in the 21st Century, to Institute for Jewish Christian Understanding, Muhlenberg College, Allentown, PA (2014)
Survival and sustainability in the nonprofit arts, to Pave Program in Arts Entrepreneurship, Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, and School of Community Resources and Development, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ Oct, 2013
Stewardship of the Invisible Balance Sheet in Nonprofit Governance, to the Department of Public Administration, Bush School of Public Service, Texas A & M University, College Station, TX, Oct 2013
How Art Works panelist for National Endowment for the Arts Office of Research, American University, September, 2012.
Cultural Enterprise Formation and Cultural Participation in America’s Counties, to National Endowment for the Arts / Brookings Institution Symposium “The Arts, New Growth Theory, and Economic Development,” Brookings Institution, Washington, DC, May 2012.
Unexpected possibilities in the cultural data ecology, to the Social Theory, Politics and the Arts Conference, Arlington, VA, 2010
Stand Up and Be Counted, presented to the Association of American Cultures, Chicago, IL, 2010
Managerial Economics for the Arts course presented in the Graduate Program in Arts Administration and Public Policy, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH. (2006)
Effective Planning for Effective Cultural Organizations, professional development seminar, presented for Philadelphia Cultural Management Initiative, 2004 and 2005.
Organizational Effectiveness. Models and Applications to Strategic Management Problems in Nonprofit Organizations, Department of Public Administration, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, April 1999
Kushner, R. J. and Baker, T. G. (October 1998) The Organizational Component of IMCI: Improving Effectiveness in the Care-Giving Setting. Presented to the First Red Cross and Red Crescent Conference on the Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses, Washington DC, October 1998
CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS AND PRESENTATIONS
The Animating Values of Trusteeship: A Process Model Reflection on the Trusteeship Experience Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA), Indianapolis, IN November 2025
Millennial fervor at 25: The durability of late 1990s arts organizations, Social Theory, Politics & the Arts, Philadelphia, PA September 2025 and ARNOVA Indianapolis November 2025, with Allison Davidson
The Obligations of the Arts in the Invisible Balance Sheet, Social Theory, Politics & the Arts, Lexington, KY, September 2023.
The Regional Interconnectedness of Arts & Culture: Examining Agglomeration and Spillovers Among US Counties, Association for Cultural Economics International, Bloomington, IN June, 2023 with Greg Collins and Todd A. Watkins.
Adjacency and Evolution in Regional Arts & Culture: Examining Agglomeration Spillovers in Pennsylvania Counties, Pennsylvania Economics Association, Erie, PA, June, 2022, with Greg Collins and Todd A. Watkins.
Place of Hope’s Board Chair and the Disrupted Meeting, Eastern Academy of Management/CASE, Portland, ME May 2022
The Art of the SuperFIPS. Geographic modeling of regional arts capacity using adjacent-county measures, Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA), Atlanta, CA, November 2021, with Greg Collins
Nonprofit arts adaptation to COVID-19. Initial evidence and emerging scenarios, ARNOVA virtual conference, November 2020, with Randy Cohen
What Next for the Cultural Coalition? Pandemic as turning point in reimagining the governance of regional arts and culture services, ARNOVA virtual conference, November 2020, with Sean King, David Mickenberg, and Todd A. Watkins.
Towards a Constructive Epistemology of Nonprofit Management Education, ARNOVA, San Diego, CA, November 2019
Teaching an Artistic Programming and Curatorial Decision-Making Process Using Constrained Optimization and Voter Preference Models, Association of Arts Administration Educators, Madison, WI, 2019
The Intersection of Governance Values and Governance Roles in Nonprofit Organization: The Case of the Arts, ARNOVA, Austin, TX, 2018
Building and Leading a Cultural Enterprise: Martin Guitar and C. F. Martin IV in 2018 teaching case with Samuel M. Thompson, Eastern Academy of Management, Providence, RI, 2018
Capital Expansion Planning for Nonprofit Live Performing Arts, ARNOVA teaching section, Grand Rapids, MI, 2017
An Impact Model for a Nonprofit Health Index, to Independent Sector “Our Common Future” Conference, Detroit, MI, October 2017 and to ARNOVA, Grand Rapids, MI, 2017
The Invisible Balance Sheet as an Organizational Capacity Model, ARNOVA teaching section, Washington, DC, 2016
Birds Without End: Sell or Stay, North American Case Research Association, Las Vegas, NV, 2016
Accountability after the crisis at the Milwaukee Public Museum, ARNOVA, Chicago, IL, 2015
How we serve who we serve: Relating strategy and structure in association management, ARNOVA, Denver, CO, 2014.
Campus and Community as Mutually Reinforcing Cultural Spaces, Social Theory, Politics, and the Arts Conference, Ottawa, ON, 2014
Bytown, by and by: The Development of Cultural Capital in Ottawa, 1964–2014, panel organized at the Social Theory, Politics, and the Arts Conference, Ottawa, ON, 2014
Recalling the Management Roots of Arts Management. Perspectives for Theory and Pedagogy, Association of Arts Administration Educators, Montreal, QC, 2014
Songs in the Key of M, Mid-Atlantic Organizational Behavior Teaching Conference, Philadelphia, PA, 2014, with Michael London
Nonprofit Board Members Engagement in Strategic Thinking: Framing, Envisioning, Performance, and Risk, ARNOVA, Hartford, CT, 2013, with William J. Brown
Millennial Arts and Culture Nonprofit Industries: Growth and Sustainability in the 21st Century, ARNOVA, Hartford, CT, 2013
Supporting Arts Administration Learning Outcomes with Local Arts Index Data, Association of Arts Administration Educators, New Orleans, LA, 2013
Competitive Forces and Competitive Positioning in Nonprofit Strategic Management, ARNOVA, Indianapolis, IN, 2012, with William J. Brown
Nonprofit Enterprise Formation and Cultural Participation in America’s Counties, ARNOVA, Indianapolis, IN, 2012
Crowding-in and -out of private contributions to the arts. Local level analysis, 2000–2011 Social Theory, Politics and the Arts Conference, Seattle, WA, 2012
Gold Seal or Golden Deadweight: Investigating the Relationship between NEA Funding and Nonprofit Arts Finances to the Association for Arts Administration Educators, Claremont, CA, June 2012
The Diverse Arts and Culture Ecology in Local Communities: Findings from the Local Arts Index Project, Social Theory, Politics and the Arts Conference, Lexington, KY, October 2011, with Randy Cohen, Martin Cohen, and Ryan Lindsay
Using the National Arts Index as a Pedagogical Resource, Association of Arts Administration Educators, Boston, MA, 2011
No More Tears: Peeling and Slicing the Public Arts Support Onion by Broadening Understanding of Government Arts Funding, ARNOVA, Alexandria, VA, 2010, with Randy Cohen
Shadowing Action in the Introductory Management Course, Mid-Atlantic Organizational Behavior Teaching Conference, Philadelphia and Lilly East Teaching Conference, College Park, MD, 2010
Measuring Local Arts Vitality: Lessons from Studies in Cities, Counties, States, and Regions, Half-Century Summit Conference of Americans for the Arts, Baltimore, MD, 2010, with Ariel Fogel.
The Scale, Scope, and Structure of the Community Theatre Industry, ARNOVA, Philadelphia, 2008, with Michael P. Brown, Jr.
The Scale, Scope, and Structure of the Community Chorus Industry, ARNOVA, Philadelphia, 2008
The Scale, Scope, and Structure of the Community Radio Industry, ARNOVA, Philadelphia, 2008, with Geoffrey Chambers
Teaching Nonprofit Management as a Derived Discipline, ARNOVA, Philadelphia, 2008
Measuring Arts and Culture in the United States with the National Arts Index, ARNOVA, Atlanta, 2007, with Randy Cohen
Teaching Management as a Derived Discipline, Academy of Management Paper Development Workshop, Philadelphia, 2007
The National Arts Index. Concepts and Progress, ARNOVA, Chicago, 2006, with Randy Cohen.
Choral Conductors as Nonprofit Workers, ARNOVA, Washington, 2005, with Arthur Brooks.
The Finances and Operations of Performing Arts Organizations in a Dynamic Period: Changes from 2001 to 2002, ARNOVA, Los Angeles, 2004, with Thomas H. Pollak
Evaluation for a Multiple-Program Social Service Organization: Developing a Systemic Plan for a Diversified Service Provider, ARNOVA, Los Angeles, 2004, panel organizer and presenter, with David C. Campbell and Paul-Brian McInerney.
Comparing the Finances and Operations of Professional Nonprofit Performing Arts Organizations Using National Service Organizations’ Survey Data, ARNOVA, Denver, 2003, with Thomas H. Pollak
All Things Don’t Stay the Same: Environmental Scanning and Scenario Planning for Nonprofit Organizations ARNOVA, Montreal, QC, 2002
Action Research Validation of an Inventory of Effectiveness Measures, ARNOVA, Miami, FL, 2001 and Midwest Nonprofit Organizational Effectiveness and Performance Conference, Kansas City, MO, 2002.
The Shape of Effectiveness: An Evolving Conceptual Model of Organizational Performance, ARNOVA, Arlington, VA, 1999
Cultural Districts and Urban Development, ARNOVA, Arlington, VA,1999 with Arthur C. Brooks
Never the Twain Shall Meet: Cross-cultural Evaluation of Organizational Performance, ARNOVA, Seattle, WA, 1998, with Thomas G. Baker
The Strategic Analytics of Nonprofit Arts Decision-Making, ARNOVA, Seattle, 1998.
Strategic Market and Power Orientations of Intermediaries in Performing Arts Markets, Cultural Industries Conference, New York University, 1997.
Contrasting Theory and Promise with Practice and Performance: Network Formation in Nonprofit Community Groups, ARNOVA, New York, 1996.
Agents and Presenting Organizations as Links Between Artists and Audiences. Association for Cultural Economics International, Boston, MA, 1996.
Towards a Theory of Nonprofit Strategy, Association for Research into Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action, Cleveland, OH, 1995.
The White Collar Holler and the Workingman’s Ph.D.: Contemporary Songs on Management and Organization, Mid-Atlantic Organizational Behavior Teaching Conference, Philadelphia, PA, 1995.
The Live Performing Arts in the Management Classroom, Western Organization Management Teaching Conference, California Polytechnic University, Pomona, CA, 1995.
Strategy, Structure, and Organizational Effectiveness in Nonprofit Arts Organizations, Association for Research in Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action, Berkeley, CA, 1994, with Peter P. Poole.
Performing Arts as A Club Good: Evidence from a Nonprofit Organization, Association for Cultural Economics International, Fort Worth, TX, 1992, with Arthur E. King
BOOKS AND GUIDES
Kushner, R. J. (2009) Instructor’s Manual for Social Entrepreneurship. A Modern Approach to Social Value Creation by Arthur C. Brooks. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall (with Powerpoint slides for instructor use)
Kushner, R. J. & Edith Ritter (1983) A Guide to Business Financing in Lehigh, Northampton and Berks Counties, Bethlehem, PA: Lehigh University Small Business Development Center.
McGregor, Arthur & Kushner, Roland, co-editors. (1981) Coast to Coast Fever, Ottawa, Canada: OFC Publications, 1981. An anthology of Canadian songwriting
DISSERTATION
“Strategy, Structure, and Organizational Effectiveness: A Study of Nonprofit Arts Organizations.” Committee: John R. Bonge, Donald T. Campbell, Arthur E. King, Peter P. Poole (chair), College of Business and Economics, Lehigh University, 1994
OP-EDS AND PUBLISHED BLOG POSTS
Lehigh Valley a crossroads location at a crossroads time The Morning Call, Allentown, PA, March 17, 2017
The industrial policy toolkit, PennLive.com, Harrisburg, PA March 4, 2017
“How Small Businesses Make the Lehigh Valley a Better Place to Live” The Morning Call, Allentown, PA March 19, 2016
“How a business community profits from a healthy arts economy” MyNetwork Magazine #3, p. 38, 2015
Fresh Consumer and Business Data on the Local Arts Index Site, ArtsBlog, Americans for the Arts, May 28, 2014
As Charity Goes, So Go the Arts?, ArtsBlog, Americans for the Arts, December 12, 2013
“Proposed arts cuts ill-informed” The Morning Call (Allentown, PA) May 25, 2011, A-20
“Results mean more to nonprofits than salaries” The Morning Call (Allentown, PA) July 17, 2007, A-9
“WDIY fills the L.V.’s need for Lehigh Valley community public radio” The Morning Call (Allentown, PA) October 18, 2006, A-17
Tsunami might have ripple effect on other charity, The Morning Call, Allentown, PA, February 13, 2005, D-3
Nations Of The Caucasus Suffer Poverty, Chaos In Post-Soviet Era. The Morning Call, Allentown, PA, (July 16, 1998), A-16
Objective Outcomes. Nonprofits as Economic Systems. Nonprofit Times, Oct. 15, 2004, 21
’Free Help’. Calculating Your Volunteers’ Value. Nonprofit Times, (February 15, 2004) 17-19.
Storm Warnings Coming Out of Canada. Philadelphia Inquirer, October 25, 1995, A19,
SELECTED CONSULTING REPORTS, 1997–2005
Program Evaluation Methods for the Community Service Society of New York, 2003.
The Finances and Operations of Performing Arts Organizations, Presented by Urban Institute to American Symphony Orchestra League, Association of Performing Arts Presenters, Dance/USA, Opera America, and Theatre Communications Group, 2003. with Tom Pollak.
Facilitators Guide For Assessing Organizational Effectiveness In National Societies. A Resource for Organizational Development Facilitators in the International Red Cross / Red Crescent Movement (2000) Washington, DC: American Red Cross International Services
Institutional Development Practices for the American Red Cross: A Methodology for Examining National Society Effectiveness (2000). Report to the International Services Department, American Red Cross, Washington, DC, (1999)
Institutional Development Practices for the American Red Cross. Current Practice and Recommendations for the Future (1999). Report to the International Services Department, American Red Cross, Washington, DC., (1999)
Kushner, R. J., Thomas G. Baker & Karin Håkansson (1998) The Caucasus Capacity Building Project: A Work in Progress. Report to the American Red Cross, International Services Department (Washington, DC), International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (Geneva, Switzerland), U. S. State Department Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (Washington, DC)
City of Bethlehem Landfill. Options for Management or Divestiture Report to the City of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, 1997
RESEARCH FUNDING RECEIVED
- Americans for the Arts, 2005-2024 for National and Local Arts Index and Creative Economy projects
- Chorus America 2005–2017, for Chorus Operations Survey Report and Choral Conductors Today
- Independent Sector / ARNOVA 2017, for Evaluating a Nonprofit Health Index as a Policy Tool
- American Society of Association Executives via North Carolina State U. Institute for Nonprofit Research, Education and Engagement, 2014 for How We Serve Who We Serve
- National Endowment for the Arts, 2012, for Cultural Participation and Enterprise Formation in America’s Counties
DOCTORAL DISSERTATION
Strategy, Structure, and Organizational Effectiveness: A Study of Nonprofit Arts Organizations. Ph.D. Dissertation, College of Business & Economics, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA (1994).
This dissertation reports on exploratory research into strategy, structure, and organizational effectiveness in nonprofit organizations. The underlying thesis is that matches between strategy and structure contribute to organizational effectiveness. Strategy refers to decisions and processes associated with comprehensive relationships between organization and environment. Structure refers to division of labor and the means adopted to coordinate labor. Organizational effectiveness is modeled as a consequence of components — constituency satisfaction, resource acquisition, internal process, and goal attainment — which contribute directly and indirectly to overall effectiveness. Strategy, structure, and effectiveness were studied in nonprofit organizations because financial and volunteer donations present nonprofits with a unique decision environment. Arts organizations were chosen as data sites because they appear to compete simultaneously in markets for ticket sales and donations.
An inductive, exploratory grounded theory research method combined qualitative and quantitative analyses. Data were collected from 19 nonprofit arts organizations in two Northeast states using executive interviews, observation of organization programs, and archival data. The principal results of this study are:
- Nonprofit strategy can be classified using the character of benefits provided to the public. Arts Benefit, Community Benefit, and Private Benefit types were proposed.
- The program margin ratio of earned income to program expenditure appears to indicate some aspects of strategic character.
- Two dimensions of nonprofit structure are focus/diffusion of influence and whether key influencers are volunteers or employees. Combining these two dichotomies leads to Grassroots (volunteer-diffused), Coordinating (employee-diffused), Directorial (employee- focused), and Institutional (volunteer-focused) structures. Evolution between structure types is motivated by specialization, coordination, and assertion of control by volunteers. Cases where organizations cannot decide how to configure influence display some disfunctions.
- Effectiveness evaluation used subjective measures and within-sample ranking of financial strength to operationalize components of the effectiveness model. Both measures appeared to discriminate between most and least successful organizations in the sample.
- Strategy decisions appear to contribute to organizational survival and/or impact. In two cases, structure has a significant impact on effectiveness, but this may be mediated by member commitment. In most of the sample, there is no consistent relationship between structural configurations and performance
Last modified on Feb 22, 2023. All papers and publications in this page are © R. J. Kushner or other copyright owners.
