Navigating Complexity for Sustainable Development: A CAS-Informed fsQCA Evidence of Nonprofit Organizations

This study aims to examine the sustainable development of nonprofit organizations through the lens of complex adaptive system theory. Utilizing a fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis methodology, a sample of 184 social service organizations in China was analyzed. The results reveal that the sustainable development of nonprofit organizations is driven not by isolated factors, but by specific configurations of five core conditions: government support, organizational structure, talent cultivation, adaptive capacity, and challenges. Notably, four distinct configurations were identified as exhibiting robust sustainable development capacity: “Endogenous Challenge-Driven Resilience””Inner Equilibrium”“Policy-Facilitated Human Capital Resilience,” and “Internal and External Equilibrium.” Conversely, the configuration labeled as “Internal and External Disequilibrium” displays a weak sustainable development capacity. Collectively, this study advances a comprehensive and organization-wide understanding of the complex mechanisms that drive sustainable development in nonprofit organizations.