Are We Advancing a “People-First” Culture? Nonprofit Human Resource Management Education in the U.S.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18666/JNEL-11467Keywords:
resource dependence; nonprofit management education; nonprofit human resource management curricula; nonprofit HRM practiceAbstract
While earlier research in nonprofit and philanthropic studies (NPS) tracks the field’s evolution, this study focuses on resource management courses, namely human resources and philanthropy, within graduate nonprofit curricula. Drawing on publicly accessible data, an examination of availability and content of human resource management (HRM) courses between 2018 and 2021 affords insight into current HRM knowledge development considered essential to overcoming nonprofit HRM challenges. The findings highlight declining availability of HRM education in comparison to increasing emphasis on philanthropic studies, alongside HRM course content that more closely reflects NACC curricular guidelines. Declining HRM course availability suggests future managers of nonprofit organizations (NPO) may be ill-equipped to respond to HRM challenges, thereby limiting recruitment and retention capacity and generating associated organizational performance impacts. By examining resource management topics in graduate nonprofit curricula, this study contributes to ongoing debates on NPS program content.
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