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Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to show the way the human dimension influences the adoption and usage of the knowledge transfer in non-profit organizations (NGOs). Previous research on the topic focused mainly on the organizational and technical aspects (i.e. organizational culture, processes and technology), lacking a consistent approach of the human dimension. Therefore, this paper goes beyond the multiplying effect of the organizational and technical factors in the development of knowledge transfer and investigates the impact of human beliefs and actions on the practices of knowledge sharing in the NGOs. Design/methodology/approach: This paper investigates the above-mentioned topics of the importance of the human aspect in the knowledge sharing adoption, and development of the NGOs by use of a cross-cultural study based on a questionnaire that conducted in Romania and Greece. Findings: This study emphasizes the importance of the human dimension in the practice of the knowledge sharing of the non-profit organizations, proving that the adoption of such practices depends on the beliefs of the NGOs employees on the topic, and on their degree of exposure to international activities. Practical implications: The results of this study provide valuable incentive to the managers of the non-profit organizations to pay more attention to the beliefs and values of their employees in adopting knowledge sharing practices. Originality/value: This paper is valuable to the academics and practitioners in search of reliable data on the impact of the human dimension on the adoption and usage of knowledge management in the Third Sector, filling an existing gap of the literature on the topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Purpose – Despite the worldwide importance of third sector organizations in rural areas, the theoretical connection between the third sector and rural development remains largely unexplored. The purpose of this paper is to develop a theoretical explanation of why and how third sector organizations contribute to rural development. Design/methodology/approach – The paper builds upon the institutional economics of Thorstein Veblen and the tektology of Alexander Bogdanov. Tektology is used as an instrument to bring Veblenian criticism of pecuniary culture to bear on the explanation of the rural third sector. Findings – Based on the tektological law of systems divergence, the Veblenian pecuniary-industrial dichotomy and rural-urban disparities are shown to be interrelated evolutionary consequences of pecuniary culture. Third sector organizations' contribution to rural development is explained in terms of the tektological notion of counter-differentiation. Applied to pecuniary culture, counter-differentiation involves attenuating its basic ingredients, such as private ownership and pecuniary motivation. This is achieved through third sector organizations' characteristics such as profit appropriation constraint and nonpecuniary goal orientation, respectively. Originality/value – The paper identifies the institutional economics implications of the general systems theory and utilizes these implications to inform the research on the internationally relevant problem of rural development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Nordic welfare model relies heavily on the public sector. Churches and the third sector in general have a more marginal role, especially when compared to the countries of central and southern Europe. The Evangelical Lutheran Church's diaconal work provides a useful test case to evaluate the role of the third sector in the Finnish welfare model. During the recession of the early 1990s, the focus of diaconal work shifted from work done with the elderly to providing assistance and financial aid to the unemployed and the indebted. Diaconal workers themselves argue that the work they do provides auxiliary support for those ignored by the public system. This article uses two datasets to test whether the profile of diaconal work in Evangelical Lutheran parishes is associated with the prevalence of social and economic problems at the local level. Data on the former are compiled by the Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, and they are compared with data on social and economic problems collected by the National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health (STAKES). If no connections are seen between regional differences in diaconal work and the presence of social and economic problems, then diaconal work can be regarded as random charity determined first and foremost by the organisation's history, local customs and resources. If, on the other hand, there is a connection between diaconal work and social and economic problems, then diaconal work (and more generally the third sector as a whole) can be seen as an established part of the last-resort social security safety net. The analysis revealed several connections between regional problems and diaconal work. Diaconal work seems to allocate its resources according to the region's problems, particularly through reception work at the diaconal offices. These connections were strong enough to call into question the present image of the Finnish welfare state model. The third sector has a more prominent role in this model than previously assumed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]