Deviance and Convention in Organizational Life: A Focus on Nonprofit Organization

Abstract This paper develops the concept of nonprofit organizational deviance. Organizational deviance refers to practices by whole organizations rather than practices by members that are problematic. To fit the categories proposed here, organizational deviance must engage the purposes or mission of the organization and must be a focus of its core activities. As such, deviance is not pathological. As a sociological concept, deviant behavior relates to norms of a community or reference group. Some people view deviance as inherently negative or stigmatizing but this is not necessarily the case. In statistics, deviation from the norm may be positive, negative, or simply normal. This is also the case with nonprofit organizations. Organizations whose structures and processes do not conform to the conventional model of good practice might be considered deviant, but they are doing important, valued work. There is tacit acceptance among nonprofit scholars and practitioners of a “conventional model of organizations”, represented by major on-line evaluation systems like GuideStar and Charity Navigator. But there are important exceptions to the conventional model, often represented by deviant organizations. These exceptions show us there is much to learn from a theoretical exploration of the concept of organizational deviance. Four categories of deviant, nonprofit organizations are the focus of our attention: (1) Rebellious organizations. These organizations challenge established laws or institutional practices, may engage in illegal practices, may cross national boundaries, and they often use the social movement organizational form. (2) Positively deviant organizations. These organizations create innovative programs or practices that overcome failures incorporated into standard operating procedures in an industry or organizational field. The normal practices are ineffective or destructive but participants in the field either do not recognize this failure or have no motivation to improve. (3) Administratively deviant organizations. Organizational practices may conform to criteria of the standard organizational model but the mission, purpose or historically institutionalized practices of the organization cause harm. (4) Normatively deviant organizations. In these organizations, core purposes and activities clash with dominant social norms. These may involve weird or stigmatized activities. Alternatively, they may promote organizational methods that are self-consciously “anti-bureaucratic” and that, as a consequence, lead to forms of structure or processes that are dramatically different from those of the conventional model of organizations.