The U.S. nonprofit sector has grown significantly over the past few decades. Approximately 1.41 million nonprofits were registered with the Internal Revenue Service in 2013, an increase of 2.8 percent from 2003 (Urban Institute, 2015). With this growth in the sector has come growth in nonprofit sector employment in the United States. The 2016 Nonprofit Employment Practices Survey estimates that over half of nonprofits of all sizes (57%) are likely to create new positions within their organizations in the coming year. Yet, while the nonprofit workforce was previously quite diverse in terms of educational attainment (Johnston & Rudney, 1987), this has changed over time. As educational attainment has increased overall in the U.S., the nonprofit
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First, requiring a particular type of education can be helpful for hiring managers as an easy way to screening potential candidates for specific skills and abilities (e.g., managerial skills). Second, we have seen the nonprofit sector become more professionalized over time, both in how organizations are now run like businesses and how we have seen an increase in professional nonprofit management programs. Third, more individuals are being educated than ever before in the U.S., particularly women, who make up a large percentage of the nonprofit sector. It is the relationship between the latter two that are of particular interest to our research. Hwang and Powell (2009) analyzed how professional values and practcies have influenced the character of nonprofit organizations. They argue that the expansion of higher education has not only paved the way for professionalized work environments, but also the organizational rationalization of the of the nonprofit sector. Consequently, they provide empircal evidence that there has been a shift towards professioanlization and rationalization based on creditialism which conflicts the participatory and democratic ethos of the nonprofit sector. Furthermore, Skocpol (2003) argues that professionally managed advocacy groups, rather than membership groups, dominate the civic world. Problematically, these groups and organizations often lack the absence of active, engaged members and …show more content…
The ‘college for all’ mentality focuses on preparing all high school students for a four-year university program directly after high school graduation (Rosenbaum, Stephan, & Rosenbaum, 2010), however, this has not resulted with increases in college completion rates (Bound, Lovenheim, & Turner, 2010). Furthremore, inequality in postsecondary attainment remains; particulalry students from low-income families are much less likely to get a degree (Bailey & Dynarski, 2011). If we want to create more socially just social sectors in our communities, we must be thoughtful about our hiring practices. A formal education requirement in a nonprofit organization can perpetuate inequality that many organizations in communities are fighting
First, requiring a particular type of education can be helpful for hiring managers as an easy way to screening potential candidates for specific skills and abilities (e.g., managerial skills). Second, we have seen the nonprofit sector become more professionalized over time, both in how organizations are now run like businesses and how we have seen an increase in professional nonprofit management programs. Third, more individuals are being educated than ever before in the U.S., particularly women, who make up a large percentage of the nonprofit sector. It is the relationship between the latter two that are of particular interest to our research. Hwang and Powell (2009) analyzed how professional values and practcies have influenced the character of nonprofit organizations. They argue that the expansion of higher education has not only paved the way for professionalized work environments, but also the organizational rationalization of the of the nonprofit sector. Consequently, they provide empircal evidence that there has been a shift towards professioanlization and rationalization based on creditialism which conflicts the participatory and democratic ethos of the nonprofit sector. Furthermore, Skocpol (2003) argues that professionally managed advocacy groups, rather than membership groups, dominate the civic world. Problematically, these groups and organizations often lack the absence of active, engaged members and …show more content…
The ‘college for all’ mentality focuses on preparing all high school students for a four-year university program directly after high school graduation (Rosenbaum, Stephan, & Rosenbaum, 2010), however, this has not resulted with increases in college completion rates (Bound, Lovenheim, & Turner, 2010). Furthremore, inequality in postsecondary attainment remains; particulalry students from low-income families are much less likely to get a degree (Bailey & Dynarski, 2011). If we want to create more socially just social sectors in our communities, we must be thoughtful about our hiring practices. A formal education requirement in a nonprofit organization can perpetuate inequality that many organizations in communities are fighting