This is worth reading #1

I come across a whole manner of reports, blogs and research findings that I reckon my loyal reader might be interested in.  This blog seems like a useful tool to share the things that I've come across that I found interesting. Many of these are via twitter - follow me if you want a more steady stream. So, in no particular order:

 1. Innovation

Outstanding article from the Wall Street Journal on the case for Open Innovation: The End of Management.  This article muses on whether the organisation as we know is fit for purpose when innovative capacity is increasingly what distinguishes between those who excel and the also-rans. It includes this passage:

"The new model will have to instil in workers the kind of drive and creativity and innovative spirit more commonly found among entrepreneurs. It will have to push power and decision-making down the organisation as much as possible, rather than leave it concentrated at the top. Traditional bureaucratic structures will have to be replaced with something more like ad-hoc teams of peers, who come together to tackle individual projects, and then disband."

Hat tip to Stefan Lindegaard for spotting this.

2. Funding models

A new blog by Clara Miller of the Nonprofit Finance Fund, writing in the Chronicle of Philanthropy Capital Is Not a Synonym for Money. It argues that:

"It's rare to hear anyone in our sector make the important and fundamental distinction between "capital" and "money". And to get to the heart of the matter, the real distinction is between "capital" and "income". Understanding the difference between these terms and using them correctly would, in and of itself, be a giant step toward better capitalisation practices and outcomes for the sector."

Hat tip to Nell Edgington for spotting this.

3. Giving

Why do affluent people give? A new report from the US-based Hope Consulting's Money for Good project divides donors into 6 groups, in order of importance (1=most common):

1. Repayers People who support organizations that have helped them or a loved one in the past
2. Casual givers Give to large and established orgs
3. High Impact Focus on undersupported causes and those trying to have the biggest impact
4. Faith based Tie with religious beliefs
5. See the difference Give to local groups or small organizations where their $ will have an impact
6. Personal ties Give to organisations with which they are personally familiar

The report also highlights perceptions of measures to show effectiveness, with the news that few follow up on their interest in effectiveness by following up with doing some research. Which I think echoes other research I have seen. Details here.

4. Social media

Interested in social media? Tick. Interested in future trends? Tick. Know what a QR code is? Er...well, tick anyway. That's 3 ticks! Well done! Now read this blog on 5 new trends in social media and you will be in geek heaven. I loved it. Hat tip to Lucy Bernholz for this spot.

5. Climate change. The world’s next 20 years on one slide – and it’s pretty scary. Hat tip to Jorge Barba for this spot.

To quote one of my fellow tweeters, Dave Briggs, I find this stuff so you don't have to...