Board Roles in the Strategic Management of Non‐profit Organisations: theory and practic

This paper presents findings from an in‐depth empirical study of the role of boards and their relations with senior managers in four organisations from the public and non‐profit sectors. The findings are interpreted using a conceptual framework which sees the outputs of boards as shaped by board inputs, processes and contextual factors, in particular wider institutional pressures. The results indicate that the strategic contribution of boards varies widely and depends on a complex interplay of factors: the system of regulation, sectoral traditions and norms of governance, the way board members are chosen, board members skill and experience, organisational size and status, and the way boards are organised and run. The wider institutional pressures that shape these factors can result in boards facing tensions and trade‐offs that can result in their contribution to stragegy being squeezed by other board roles.