Division of Research Working Paper Abstract

99-051

SOCIAL ENTERPRISE SERIES NO. 5: PARTNERING FOR PROGRESS

James E. Austin

We have entered the Age of Alliances. As nonprofits move into the 21st century, allying with other organizations will not simply be an option, it will be an imperative. It will be the rule rather than the exception. The nonprofits refer to themselves as the Independent Sector. That is becoming a misnomer. Interdependence rather than independence is the more accurate descriptor. The traditional boundaries between the nonprofit, business, and government sectors are becoming blurred. The respective societal functions and responsibilities are increasingly overlapping.

The fundamental question is not what can nonprofits, businesses, and governments do, but rather how can society most effectively organize itself to deal with major social problems. If we are to think creatively and freshly about this question, we must escape from the mental prisons of our traditional institutional perspectives. We must look outward to each other and seek out new forms of collaboration, interaction, and organization. To that end, this paper provides an overview of some of the key issues and approaches surrounding the challenges of "partnering for progress." We shall examine the why, what, who, when, and how of constructive collaboration.

GM
15 pages