Bonnie Kristian

Document Type

Honors Project

First Advisor

Dr. James Josefson

Degree Award Date

Fall 2008

Keywords

Efficiency, Effectiveness, Private Charity, Public Charity, Case Studies

Disciplines

Quantitative, Qualitative, Comparative, and Historical Methodologies | Service Learning | Sociology

Abstract

The academic literature on the subject of private charity and comparable public programs is generally in agreement: private organizations are more efficient and/or effective in their work for one or more of a variety of reasons. However, little in-depth data is presented to support these claims, and research on private groups is usually uncoupled with data on their government counterparts. Here I examine four such theories, the first of which places charities in a marketplace of sorts, competing for donations. The latter three theories assign private aid providers a comparative advantage either for their lack of political associations, minimal bureaucracy, or flexibility and innovation. I make four case studies of relief aid agencies, three private and one public, and examine a set of intermediate variables to find evidence for or against these theories. The first two emerge comparatively well supported, but I find less evidence for the latter two.

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