An application of Hypothesis 2x within the NGO sector in Eswatini
By: Mkhosi mdluli
1.INTRODUCTION
Many Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) still hold the traditional view on the organisation construct that organisations are a sum of their processes and methods (Goold et al 1998). This view states that the processes and methods enable an organisation to assess and understand itself and its external and internal environment.
It further states that this enables an organisation to agree on improving performance. This view is considered incomplete by the Orgtology perspective, which states that “For an organisation to exist, it needs receptive and projective parts that interact to create a duality, whereby processes and systems are the receptive part, and strategy and leadership is the projective part” Hendrikz 2022
If organisations had a better understanding of the complexity between algorithmic processes and the abstract thought that makes up an organisation, then NGOs, especially smaller ones, would be able to demonstrate superior knowledge in organisational design, strategy, and leadership. This would subsequently lead to sustainable intervention in the National Development Agenda (United Nations in Eswatini 2024)
For further exploration of the hypothesis above, the following assumptions must hold:
- NGOs in Eswatini are homogenous in characteristics.
- Lack of knowledge and understanding is a major impediment to development in Eswatini.
- There is willingness by NGOs to incorporate new body of knowledge in the understanding of Org.
This paper follows an investigative approach to explore the problem at hand. The researcher utilised a review of literature methodology consulting various NGO related articles and books to interrogate the premise that a better understanding of the complexity between algorithmic processes and the abstract thought that makes up an organisation would help NGOs demonstrate superior knowledge in organisational design, strategy, and leadership. Additionally, it has also used the researchers’ knowledge and experience in the NGO environment.
The main sources of information utilised were the Orgtologist Certification Program study material, websites, journals, and books.
2. BACKGROUND
According to the Coordinating Assembly of Non-Governmental Organisations (CANGO), whose overall mandate as an umbrella body is to ensure a well-functioning and coordinated non-governmental sector, there are over 70 registered NGOs in Eswatini (CANGO 2024).
NGOs cater to a diverse spectrum of civic interests, ranging from social service provision and environmental advocacy to championing living and working standards, and even acting as a catalyst for democratic transformations (Times of Eswatini 2024)
In Eswatini, NGOs are established to address critical social issues, provide essential services, and collaborate effectively. Their work contributes to improving the lives of Eswatini’s citizens and extends to a broader global context (UNDP 2024).
While some NGOs were established to address a variety of social challenges, most were formed to respond to a specific need at inception, say, combating the spread of HIV in the country or to economically empowering the youth. With time, some evolved into full-time organisations with no specific end date.
Most NGOs in Eswatini exist either through the receptive part or projective parts of the organisation, rarely ever having a conscious understanding of the interaction of these two parts. Usually, the NGOs formed to respond to specific needs are established with the understanding that they will cease to exist as soon as they have achieved their goal.
These project-based NGOs operate from a projective perspective with little regard for the receptive part of the organisation.
The other organisations that are formed with a more extended vision in mind often have consistent funding and are the ones that usually operate with more efficiency, whereby the processes are clearly defined with a clear intention to achieve performance.
These organisations focus on a specific function, and they strive to ensure that operations are performed efficiently. In some instances, these NGOs get extra funding to run projects that align with their core function and in those instances, they focus on the projective part to execute the project.
These two are usually run differently, often appearing as though they were different entities and rarely do these two parts interact.
While there have been instances that NGOs have stumbled through the ability to create an interaction between the receptive and projective parts, this is rarely deliberate and hardly replicable in a different environment. It is sheer luck and is usually a result of leadership acumen.
Traditional view on Efficiency and Effectiveness
The interchangeability of efficiency and effectiveness demonstrates the need for an interaction between the two parts that make up an organisation.
According to Verschuere and Suykens (2020), measuring the effectiveness and efficiency of NGOs is complicated by factors such as goal ambiguity, multiple stakeholders with diverse expectations and perspectives, and the nature of the goods or services NGOs provide.
This paper suggests adopting the orgtology approach to measuring efficiency and effectiveness as discussed in the next section.
3. APPLICATION OF HYPOTHESIS 2X
General application of Hypothesis 2x in Org
Hypothesis 2x is the backbone of orgtology. It states that there is a dual existence between receptive algorithms and projective thought. The “x” in 2x denotes the “X-Factor”, which is the unique and unpredictable contribution of people who project their thinking into organisations.
In essence, organisational theories propose that organisations require relations and relationships, which are the core of their existence. Relations are defined as interactions that do not require reciprocity, while relationships require reciprocity.
In organisations, repetitive rituals create predictable outputs which in turn creates performance. There is also the human element that is unpredictable and often irrational. This creates uncertainty in outcomes and subsequently is responsible for creating relevance.
It is from the above understanding that orgtology was born and this paper explores this concept and how it can be applied in NGOs.
Applying Hypothesis 2x in NGOs
All organisations are a consciousness of two things. Defining its purpose and negotiating an intent with its environment is necessary. The purpose should define the role of an NGO within its environment, and the intent should define what it wants to do with its purpose. This will ensure that an NGO performs and stays relevant. To achieve this, the organisation must provide something consistent and predictable, translating into receptive activity.
On the other hand, the organisation must offer something that will differentiate it and make it stand out from other organisations to stay relevant. Since most NGOs in Eswatini are competing for the same resources, this duality will give it an advantage over other entities in the same field and will manage to achieve performance and stay relevant.
The receptive part will be extracted from the NGO’s purpose. This is the organisation’s work that will be continuous, cyclic, and predictable. It will do this by creating rules that will be embedded within the organisation’s systems. How well an organisation does this will be manifest in its efficiencies.
This receptive activity will create the mathematical processes of the organisation. The efficiency of doing this repetitive activity will be evidence of how well that organisation has defined its processes.
On the other hand, the project activity is the random and unpredictable part of the NGO. This part is driven by its intent, which is a sum of the organisation’s abstract and innovative practices that will define the direction of the future. This is given birth to by the disruptive intelligence applied. An organisation will need to maintain a balance in disruptive behaviour to avoid creating chaos. Through this behaviour, an organisation can negotiate its future within its environment.
The receptive part will ensure that the NGO performs, while the projective part will ensure that it remains relevant. Collectively, this is what will ensure the existence of the organisation, and make sure that it performs while at the same time remaining relevant.
Ensuring a balance between the receptive and projective parts
The orgtology principle teaches us that an organisation requires duality for it to exist, but also cautions us on the importance of keeping a balance between the two. It is imperative that NGOs in Eswatini learn to balance purpose and the intent. This means that they must have a healthy balance between the repetitive work that is defined by processes, and the non-repetitive work which is brought about by projects.
The repetitive work of an organisation is the sum of its systems intelligence, that the organisation has while the projective work is the sum of its human intelligence that the organisation possesses. It is important to remember that organisations do not have finite resources; hence, keeping a balance is important for an organisation to achieve performance while remaining relevant.
In the study of Hypothesis 2x, the “x” denotes the disruptive element within an organisation, otherwise known as the X-Factor. This is the element that augments the fabric of the repetitive work. The creativity and randomness of the human brain drive the X-Factor. Through human intelligence, new ideas are born and harnessed.
This can only be done by humans, which shows the value of humans to an organisation. The quality of the human intelligence that an organisation has will determine the competitive advantage that an organisation has over other similar entities.
For any NGO to achieve performance and remain relevant, it needs to maintain a balance between systems intelligence and human intelligence. In application, operations are the receptive part while, strategy is the projective part. The concept of duality states that organisations must have receptive and something projective.
The Impact of the X-Factor on organisations
In studying the X-Factor, we must interrogate the following four theories, which can help NGOs better understand the impact human resources will have on the organisation.
Theory Ix: This theory focuses on the concept of intelligence. It states that organisations should consider how the human intellect of their employees will impact the organisation’s performance and relevance of the organisation. When hiring an employee, an NGO should always make sure that the intelligence engaged in the organisation’s work is relevant to work done by the organisation.
Theory Px: This theory examines the paradigm concept. It states that the belief systems, values, and perceptions of the people in an organisation will influence its performance and relevance of that organisation. An organisation will need to have unique values unique and, ensure that the human resources engaged subscribe to these values.
Theory Ex: This theory focuses on the concept of Identity. It states that the identity of an individual vs the identity of the organisation, will have a bearing on the performance and relevance of the organisation.
Theory D: This theory combines all three other theories. It states that, organisations should always consider the performance and relevance of the organisation when engaging human resources as this will determine the success or failure of the organisation.
In summing up the impact of the X-Factor on an organisation, it is imperative to remember that the human dynamic will permanently change the nature of any relationship.
The human mind always brings a unique dynamic to an organisation, which creates infinite possibilities. This is what makes the human mind more valuable than any other resource. This is why NGOs should always ensure the right X-Factor fits their unique mix. This will give the competitive urge it requires over its competition.
Practical Application: Examples
Let us consider an example of an NGO whose purpose is to develop life skills and provide livelihood skills to unemployed youth in Eswatini. The organisation may be getting funding from Global Fund, which funds many NGOs in the country, whose continued funding is competition-based, depending on the demonstrated ability to deliver.
According to the orgtology principle, the NGO would require a receptive and a projective part to meet the criteria of a balanced organisation. The receptive needs to be cyclic and repetitive. This repetitive part would be the day-to-day work which includes recruiting and training the youth on life and livelihood skills.
The work would have to be defined through processes that detail how to recruit and conduct a training, including developing the training material to be used by the training team. The organisation will further need a Finance and Logistics team to ensure proper resource disbursement. This work would be repetitive and replicable in a different environment ensuring the organization’s performance.
The NGO would also need a projective part to ensure the organisation remains relevant. The NGO may face a challenge in keeping the youth interested in the programme, so it would have to come up with disruptive ideas on how to keep the youth engaged and interested. One such activity would be to organise sporting activities whereby the youth could be gathered in numbers and encouraged to be a part of the program, and more youth could even be recruited to participate.
These innovative ideas and activities would form a part of the projective part, of the organisation. Collectively with the receptive part this creates an organisation. Balancing the two parts ensures that the organisation performs and remains relevant.
In addition, the organisation would require a deliberate effort to ensure a vibrant X-Factor. Hiring the right team would ensure the survival of the NGO in a competitive environment. The NGO would require the right leadership team and officers. The right team would have the intelligence to understand the environment in which they operate.
They would also have to be in sync with the values and beliefs of that organisation. Additionally, the identity of the team should not conflict with the identity of the organisation. Combined these elements would offer the organisation the best chance at being a performing and relevant organisation.
4.CONCLUSIONS
To bring the whole argument to context, let us consider some facts. According to a press statement on the government page (2023), “Over the years, Eswatini has received over US$265million, approximately E3.5 billion, from the Global Fund to support of intervention programmes to strengthen the fight against HIV, TB, and Malaria. Combined with assistance from the country’s partners such as PEPFAR, the European Union and the United Nations, this support has enabled the Kingdom to achieve several health milestones”
With the number of resources that have been poured in in the fight against HIV, TB and Malaria in Eswatini, the country should have significantly turned the tide in terms of SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being, but “we are still off-track to achieve the health-related SDGs. Progress has been uneven, both between and within countries (UNDP 2024).”
The same argument is true for most foreign aid that is provided to the country and disbursed through NGOs. Eswatini Economic Policy Analysis and Research Centre (ESEPARC) reported that despite increasing amounts of foreign aid received annually, Africa needs more to show for it. Today, poverty levels and income inequalities in Sub-Saharan Africa are at their highest ever (ESEPARC 2022).
Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that the channels for distributing aid lack the capacity to do so efficiently and effectively. Dissecting the organisational constructs of NGOs seems like a good start to unravelling the mystery of where things go wrong. Understanding organisational architecture will, it is hoped, help build a strong foundation for sustainable development in Eswatini.
5. REFERENCES
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- United Nations in Eswatini, 2024. Eswatini National Development Plan 2023-2028, https://eswatini.un.org/en/250663-eswatini-national-development-plan-2023-2028
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By: Mkhosi mdluli