Human service community NGOs occupy a significant position in western civil
society, holding roles such as employer, service provider, volunteer, carer,
victim, advocate, partner and leader. They claim a shared philosophical and
moral basis to support these roles and this unquestioned assumption causes
significant consequences for their future as they embrace commercial practices
and governance models. Does the NGO have the capacity to provide
ethical leadership now with its shifting value systems, an increasing loss of
meaningful relationships as defined by spiritual formation and entrenched
gender discrimination in a postmodern, global environment? All this indicates
a collapse in NGO activities through leadership fragmentation and a rise in
managerial and bureaucratic technocracy. The book uses postmodernism,
feminism and narrative practices to explore relationships within NGOs
between employers and employees on leadership, ethics, values and
spirituality. It examines emerging tensions on faith, gender, business operations
and asks 'what next?'. The book is intended for community, government
and business professionals and leaders who work with human service
NGOs.