NON-GOVERNMENTALORGANIZATIONS

andNATIONAL POWER

Prepared by

James L. Narel, Ph.D.

“HOW CAN NGOs BE USEDTO SUPPORT AMERICAN POWER?”

TOPICS

• Background & traits

• Organizational culture

• Changing environment

• Implications

Historical OverviewNGOs in Peace Operations

• Dates to end of WWII• Save lives, lower death rates• Since Ethiopia (‘85):

include developmental goals• Diverse NGO community• Alternative to bureaucracy• Growth in fund transfers• Rising challenges

Key issue: Relationship to Donors

HUMANITARIAN PRINCIPLEPurpose: Alleviate human suffering

Core Values:

• Compassion • Respect for individuals • Cultural sensitivity

• Neutrality• Impartiality• Independence

Traditional Peace OperationsHUMANITARIAN NGO

CONTRIBUTIONS• Primary focus on alleviating suffering

• Expertise to provide relief & foster development

• Cultural sensitivity

• Involvement with localpopulation (“partners”)

• Organizational flexibility

ContemporaryCOMPLEX EMERGENCIES

• Increase in number and severity of catastrophes• Compound catastrophe: disaster + conflict• Targeting of civilians:

- Direct attacks- Terror- Displacement- Denial of food/security

for political aims• Decreased respect for safety of neutral parties• Need to address systemic issues:

- conflict - development - human rights

EVOLVING“HUMANITARIAN” AGENDA

RELIEF

Food

Water

Shelter

Medical

Sanitation

DEVELOPMENT

Economic

Medical/Health

Infrastructure

Security

Government

HUMAN RIGHTS

Personal Security

Indiv. Equality

Due Process

Social Welfare

Group Rights

ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE

“Humanitarian NGOs and the militaryare not just different organizations;they are different cultures.”

A Theoretical Model ofOrganizational Culture

(Part 1)

Survival

Adaptation

GrowthOrganization

Organization’s Environment

• Daily functions• Ability to adapt

The Function of Culture in an Organization

Based on Edgar Schein: Organizational Culture and Leadership

A Theoretical Model ofOrganizational Culture

(Part 2)

Artifacts

Espousedvalues

Basic underlyingassumptions

e.g., procedures, dress,titles, buildings, etc.

e.g., experience, education,timeliness, connections

e.g., concerning time,space, human nature, etc.

Uncovering the Levels of Culture

Based on Edgar Schein: Organizational Culture and Leadership

Visible organizationalstructures & processes

Strategies, philosophies,goals, justifications

Taken-for granted beliefs,perceptions and feelings

Culture defined by…

• Space• Time• Reality and truth• Human nature• Human activity• Human relationships

Shared Underlying Assumptionsabout…

Significance of…SHARED UNDERLYING

ASSUMPTIONS

By virtue of the group’s history of success, the assumptions “must” be right and good.

Once formed and taken for granted, they become a defining property of the group.

If forced to discuss them, the tendency is to defend rather than examine them.

CONTRASTING ASSUMPTIONS

Space

Time

Truth/Reality

Human Nature

Human Behavior

Human Rltnshps

Military NGOs

Battle space

Planning time

Low Context

Some people bad(confront threats)

Subjugateenvironment

High power distance

Humanitarian space

Development time

High context

Most people good(assist needy)

Accommodateenvironment

Low power distance

Why can’t we…“COLLABORATE”

“COOPERATE”“COORDINATE”

“SHARE”“?”

ARMYValuesDisciplineLoyaltyMissionAssumptionsLow contextPlanning TimeBattle spaceDefeat the adversarySubjugate environmentHigh power distance

NGOsValues

IndependenceNeutrality

Respect for cultureAssumptions

High contextDevelopment Time

Humanitarian spaceAssist the suffering

Accommodate environmentLow power distance

STRESSESON THE

EXISTING CULTURES

CHANGING ENVIRONMENTfor the MILITARY

Assumptions Challenged

• Exclusive right to define space• Operating on a planning-time basis

• Low-context view of reality

• Focus solely on threat aspect ofhuman nature

• Goal of subjugating the environment

• High power distance, autocraticdecision making

Stresses

Combat opsamidst civilians

Promotestabilization &development

Share area ofoperations

CHANGING ENVIRONMENTfor the NGOs

Assumptions Challenged

• Expectation of humanitarian space• Operating on a development-time basis

• High-context view of reality

• Focus on the good in human nature

• Ability to accommodate environment

• Low power distance, consensusdecision making

Stresses

Expanded viewof humanitarian

objectives

IncreasedSecurity risks

Accommodatemilitary

involvement

IMPLICATIONS OF

ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE RESEARCH

FOR DEVELOPING

INTERAGENCY COOPERATION

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jnarel@gmu.edu

Final comment: In this effort at cultural analysis,

NOTHING IS CLEAR & SIMPLE• Both communities are heterogeneous

- Headquarters v. Field- Career v. Transient- Diverse organizations and specialties- Personality drivers

• Changing environment challenges old culture- More frequent, more demanding crises- Need for increased professionalization- Complex emergencies are changing both

the disaster and conflict models

• Every operation differs from every other- Not clear what the “lessons” are- Confounds efforts to discern in/consistencies

Values

U.S. ARMY

Soldier’s CreedI am an American Soldier. I am a

warrior and a member of a team. I serve the people of the United States and live the Army values.

Warrior Ethos• I will always place the mission first.• I will never accept defeat.• I will never quit.• I will never leave a fallen comrade.

Soldier Values• Loyalty• Duty• Respect• Selfless service• Honor• Integrity• Personal courage

“Readiness”

Traditional Peace Operations MILITARY CONTRIBUTIONS

• Focus on physical security• Capability to impose order• Mobile infrastructure

adaptable to relief anddevelopment

• Supplies (food, medical, building, etc.)• Professional expertise (fighters and technicians)

Shared assumptions about the nature of…

REALITY AND TRUTH

“Levels” of RealityPhysical: Reality is external; it is determined empirically.Social: Reality includes what members agree is real.Individual: Reality is determined through direct experience.

Low & High Context

Pragmatism-Moralism

Low context: Events have clear, universal meaning.High context: Events can only be understood in context;

meanings can vary.

Pragmatism: Seek validation in own experience of what works.Moralism: Seek validation in general philosophy or tradition.

Shared assumptions about the nature of…

TIME• Basic Orientation:

Past, present, near future, distant future

• Monochronic - PolychronicMonochronic: time is linear ribbonPolychronic: time defined by what occurs

• Planning time - Development timePlanning:• world consists of objects that can be manipulated• managers create milestones tied to external realities• seeks closure

Development:• world is developing, not readily “speeded” or “slowed”• leaders perceive “things will take as long as they take”• is open ended

Shared assumptions about the nature of

SPACE

Army

• More structured

• “Battle Space”

NGO’s

• Less structured

• “Humanitarian Space”

Example of assumptions aboutSPACE

Shared assumptions about the nature of…

HUMAN NATURE• What is a human being’s basic moral status?

- good - bad - mixed - neutral

Military NGOs

Internal

ExternalSome people

are bad(Confront threats

to security)

Most peopleare good

(Assist strugglingpeople and societies)

Members are good: self-motivated, service oriented

Shared assumptions about the nature of…

Human ActivityThe “Doing” Orientation:

• Assumes nature can be controlled• Human beings should act pragmatically• Focuses on task and efficiency

The “Being” Orientation• Nature is powerful; humanity subservient to it• Acceptance of what is

The “Being-in-Becoming” Orientation (between the extremes)• Individual seeks harmony with nature• Develop fully one’s own capacities• Focus on what the person is, not what he/she accomplishes

Shared assumptions about the nature of…

Human Activity

ORGANIZATION / ENVIRONMENT RELATIONS

• Nature can be subjugated and controlled.or

• Nature must be harmonized with.or

• One must subjugate oneself to nature

Shared assumptions about the nature of…

HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS“POWER DISTANCE”

Refers to the degree to which people in a hierarchy perceivegreater or lesser ability to control one another’s behavior.

Organization AReduced power distance: good ideas can comefrom anyone at any time. (E.g., managers availableto talk to anyone about any issue.)

Organization BIncreased power distance: efficiency seen asaccruing to hierarchy, formality, and protocol.(E.g., meetings well defined with clear purpose,planned with appropriate deference to rank.)

Shared assumptions about the nature of…

HUMAN RELATIONSHIPSParticipation and Involvement

Degree and type of participation by a group’s memberswill reflect assumptions about how authority is used:

2. Paternalistic

1. Autocratic 3. Consultative

4. Participative

5. Delegative

6. Abdicative