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Advanced Networked Technologies in the U.K. Voluntary Sector

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2026

Eleanor Burt  and
John Taylor
Eleanor Burt*
Affiliation:
University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland
John Taylor
Affiliation:
University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland Caledonian Business School, Glasgow Caledonian University, Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow, Scotland
*
3 Correspondence should be directed to Dr. Eleanor Burt, Department of Management, University of St. Andrews, The Scores, St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland KY16 9AL; e-mail: eb@st-andrews.ac.uk
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Abstract

Advanced networked technologies have the potential to support deep strategic and operational transformation within voluntary organizations as they seek to respond to shifts in the social, economic, and political spheres in which they operate. Evidence form our study of U.K. voluntary organizations demonstrates relatively low uptake of the core networking technologies and applications essential to support such transformation. Friends of the Earth and The Samaritans are exceptions to this trend. Case studies of these organizations demonstrate that they are using advanced networked technologies to reconfigure key information flows and relationships, in support of enhanced campaigning and more effective user services. The extent to which these organizations are able to exploit the transformational potential that the technologies present is tempered by historically institutionalized relationships and values by which they are characterized.

Résumé

Résumé

Les technologies de réseaux avancées rendent possible l’accompagnement de transformations opérationnelles et stratégiquement importantes au sein des organisations bénévoles alors qu’elles cherchent à répondre aux mutations s’opérant dans les sphères sociales, économiques et politiques dans lesquelles elles travaillent. Notre étude des organisations bénévoles au Royaume-Uni démontre une relative méconnaissance du système des technologies et applications en réseaux permettant de façon essentielle d’appuyer de telles transformations. Les Amis de la Terre et Les Samaritains font exception à cette tendance. Des études de cas de ces organisations démontrent qu’elles utilisent les technologies de réseaux avancées pour réorganiser leurs connexions et flots d’informations stratégiques en soutien de campagnes de grande ampleur et de services aux usagers plus efficaces. La mesure dans laquelle ces organisations se montrent capables d’exploiter le potentiel de transformation offert par ces technologies est tempérée par l’existence de liens institutionnalisés historiques et par les valeurs qui les caractérisent.

Zusammenfassung

Zusammenfassung

Fortgeschrittene Netzwerktechnologien haben das Potential, gemeinnützige Organisationen in ihrem Bemühen zu unterstützen, sich mittels vertiefter strategischer und operativer Transformation an Veränderungen in ihrem sozialen, ökonomischen und politischen Umfeld anzupassen. Daten aus unserer Studie britischer gemeinnütziger Organisationen zeigen, daß die Netzwerktechnologien und Netzwerkanwendungen, die entscheidend für die Unterstützung einer solchen Transformation sind, in relativ geringem Umfang genutzt werden. “Friends of the Earth” und “The Samaritans” sind Ausnahmen in dieser Hinsicht. Fallstudien dieser Organisationen zeigen, daß sie fortgeschrittene Netzwerktechnologien nutzen, um den Informationsfluß und Beziehungen zu rekonfigurieren, um verstärkte Kampagnenarbeit und einen nutzerfreundlichen Service zu unterstützen. Das Ausmaß, in dem diese Organisationen in der Lage sind, das Transformationspotential dieser Technologien zu nutzen, wird durch historisch institutionalisierte Beziehungen und diese charakterisierende Wertvorstellungen verringert.

Resumen

Resumen

Las tecnologías avanzadas interconectadas tienen el potencial de apoyar transformaciones en funcionamiento y estratégicas profundas dentro de las organizaciones de voluntarios igual que buscan responder a los cambios en las esferas sociales, económicas y políticas en las cuales operan. Evidencias a partir de nuestro estudio de las organizaciones de voluntarios en Gran Bretaña demuestra un relativo uso bastante bajo de las principales tecnologías interconectadas y aplicaciones esenciales para apoyar tales transformaciones. Friends of the Earth (Amigos de la Tierra) y The Samaritans (Los Samaritanos) son excepciones a esta tendencia. Estudios sobre estas organizaciones demuestran que estan usando tecnologías avanzadas interconectadas para reconfigurar flujos de información clave y relaciones, en apoyo de campañas más grandes, y servicios de usuarios más efectivos. Hasta que punto estas organizaciones son capaces de explotar el potencial de tranformación que las tecnologías presenta es atenuado por relaciones institucionalizadas historicamente y valores por los que se caracteriza.

Keywords

advanced networked technologiesvoluntary sectorUnited KingdomFriends of the EarthThe Samaritans

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations , Volume 12 , Issue 4 , December 2001 , pp. 313 - 326
Copyright
Copyright © 2002 International Society for Third-Sector Research and The Johns Hopkins University

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