A3 Book section, Chapters in research books
Learning in a Ugandan gender advocacy NGO : Organizational growth and institutional wrestling (2020)

Kontinen, T., & Ndidde, A. N. (2020). Learning in a Ugandan gender advocacy NGO : Organizational growth and institutional wrestling. In K. Holma, & T. Kontinen (Eds.), Practices of Citizenship in East Africa : Perspectives from Philosophical Pragmatism (pp. 176-193). Routledge. Routledge Explorations in Development Studies. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429279171-12

JYU authors or editors

Kontinen, Tiina

Publication details

All authors or editors: Kontinen, Tiina; Ndidde, Alice N.

Parent publication: Practices of Citizenship in East Africa : Perspectives from Philosophical Pragmatism

Parent publication editors: Holma, Katariina; Kontinen, Tiina

ISBN: 978-0-367-23296-2

eISBN: 978-0-429-27917-1

Journal or series: Routledge Explorations in Development Studies

Publication year: 2020

Pages range: 176-193

Number of pages in the book: 258

Publisher: Routledge

Place of Publication: Abingdon

Publication country: United Kingdom

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429279171-12

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Open Access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/68535

Abstract

The chapter explores organizational learning in a Ugandan gender advocacy organization, Action for Development (ACFODE), in the course of history of over 30 years. It identifies three instances of learning: changes in the habits of project implementation, changes in the advocacy approaches, and reformulation the ways of being an organization. Each of these instances include continuous institutional wrestling; between easily defined and measurable training approaches and activities embedded in daily life of communities, between contestation and co-optation in relationship with the state, and between being a structured modern organization or informal members’ meeting place. The chapter shows that organizational learning in NGOs requires remaining faithful to organizational core concern and tolerating continuous uncertainties and tensions presented by institutional environments, which lead to problematic situations that cannot be solved by any individual organization alone.

Keywords: citizenship; civil society; non-governmental organisations; organisational activities; equality (values); learning

Free keywords: Uganda

Fields of science: