PARTNERSHIPS

133 the needs of different stakeholders. These include partners and allies, staff and volunteers, donors and supporters, coalitions and alliances, suppliers, governments, the private sector, academic institutions and the wider public. We believe that stakeholder engagement and feedback can inform our work and bolster our efforts towards greater impact and efficiency.”

(Nuthmann, 1994, p. 57) Thus, the following variables can be identified as being influential in the Credibility dynamics in the organisation:

Table 4-3: Variables influencing Credibility dynamics

Credibility

Public Recognition Funding

Accountability Transparency

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“We engage policy makers, government and parliament. To a limit and extent, private sector and research institutions that we work with to generate research or as evidence to support our policy actions.” (Int.1)

In addition, the organisation engages in partnerships or creates networks for several different reasons as indicated in the following quote:

“Our partnerships play different roles. There are partnerships that are funding partnerships with donors. The other partnerships could be for networking, so that we can achieve much together. The other partnerships are those that assist us in delivering work on the ground. So how well we manage all these partnerships, helps in our sustainability.” (Int.5)

In addition, the ability and tendency of all partners to influence one another was encapsulated in the following:

“All our stakeholders, both internal and external, are linked or interlinked, any changes and/or directions of each and every stakeholder can either directly or indirectly influence the organisation’s ability to be sustainable.” (Int.5)

Thus, the recognition of the importance of the organisation’s partnerships with other stakeholders, as well as the ability of the organisation to influence, and be influenced by, such partners and stakeholders is apparent.

The following factors were identifed as influencing the Partnership dynamics in the organisation:

 Funding: refers to the financial support received through the creation of partnerships with the above parties. Since the amount and extent of financial resources available to the NPO is a significant indicator of future sustainability, such partnerships need to be handled with care and much effort needs to go into establishing and maintaining strong funding partnerships as this will influence the success of the projects the organisation engages in (Project Success) as exemplified in the following quote:

“ So, how well we manage these partnerships helps in our sustainability, because if we manage our relationships with donors well, we leverage more funding, and when we manage the networking well, we are able to achieve the deliverables well

135 and also if we manage the partnerships with other partners that deliver our pieces of work on the ground, that will help us to achieve results on the ground.” (Int.5)

 Credibility as explained earlier refers to whether the organisation was perceived, based on its reputation, as being trustworthy enough to receive donations and funding from the public and other actors. Credibility was perceived to have been linked to partnerships in the sense that partners could assist in exemplifying project success, thereby improving the reputation and credibility of Oxfam itself:

“ It will definitely have a huge impact…the way in which we represent ourselves through our partners. It will definitely be a success because they (partners) can include it on their websites and Oxfam’s logo will be there, which will also create awareness to other people.” (Int.4)

As the credibility of the organisation’s reputation is enhanced through such partnerships, and its influence expands, it is more able to secure financial resources for smaller NPOs which it partners with, because they lack the ability to attract donors in the way in which Oxfam is able to do so, based on its credible reputation:

“ Often we would rather partner with the local, because we have the resources and the ability to tap into bigger money which they could benefit from. ..Sometimes it is easier for us to access money, whereas a smaller non-profit might not be successful.

So we would rather partner with them and allow them to access more funding.”

(Int.6)

 Oxfam’s strong international reputation and credibility has enabled it to have a wide sphere of influence which allows it to attract partners, as well as facilitates partnerships with donors which they anticipate working with on projects:

“…the Oxfam brand contributes significantly to Oxfam’s recognition by funding partners in South Africa and globally.” (Int.1)

“We get naturally recognised by both state and non-state actors in terms of our thinking and our reflection and our constructive engagement.” (Int.1)

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 Learning is an additional significant outcome of the partnerships Oxfam creates with other partners, as well as through partnerships with its own affiliates from around the world. In some cases, learning is generated through research partnerships with one or several affiliates and/or organisations throughout the world, or through partnerships with other NPOs:

“What we do is like in every home country, within the head office, there’s a unit for research…so in instances where research needs to be done, that unit would support us and then, maybe we would collaborate with local researchers. We then tender out for a research component or conduct research in partnership with other organisations…Depending on what kind of research you want to do, so we would partner with local NGOs that are purely research institutes as well.” (Int.3)

“It fosters cross-country learning for example there could be specific country influences so let’s say with us and Brazil, looking at what Brazil’s done to bring about equality so we can learn from them in that regard, so there’s that kind of learning…but also looking at what other organisations are doing, which we can use to deliver better.” (Int.2)

This learning between partners also extends to the private sector especially with regard to Oxfam educating private sector partners such as companies and organisations on the ethicality or lack thereof of their methods of operating with regards to Human Rights laws and the general laws of the country in which they operate:

“We come from the perception that they (organisations) are not always aware that what they are doing contravenes particular laws, so we will also share details with them.” (Int.3)

Whomever such partnerships are created with, Oxfam recognises the importance in such partnerships for creating networks of collaborative learning, knowledge sharing and capacity building, which ultimately contributes to more effective project delivery and implementation.

“We agree together how we learn from our joint work, with the aim of incorporating learning, communicatios, and the sharing of knowledge into the

137 design and delivery of projects and partnerships…we have a specific responsibility to encourage active sharing of knowledge with and among partners.”

(Dyson & Chang, 2005, p. 5) However, such partnerships also cause the organisation to become dependent on their partners for funding (Dependency). This is especially the case with the Oxfam affiliates in Southern Africa and is an issue of much concern in the transition to Oxfam South Africa (SA). It is feared that the withdrawal of funding by particular big institutional donors will affect the ability of the Oxfam SA affiliate to remain sustainable. Therefore, finding alternative sources of funding is a critical priority as the affiliates transition to the Oxfam SA structure.

“Oxfam in Southern Africa has been working mainly with big institutional donors and Oxfam affiliates. This dominant situation is not healthy as it can create instability in income distribution due to overreliance on a certain number of major donors…By not diversifying and/or expanding our donor portfolio, it is risky that when the big institutional donors withdraw resources from the region, Oxfam in Southern Africa would possibly face a shortage in funding which would consequently affect the implementation of the programmes.”

(Kim, 2014, p. 15) This is a particular dilemma for the transition to a South African affiliate of Oxfam (which will be explained in more detail later) as the affilates currently in South Africa are foreign ones (E.g:

Oxfam Great Britain, Oxfam Australia, Oxfam Italy, etc.), therefore they receive partial funding from their offices of origin. The transition to Oxfam South Africa would mean that they can no longer depend on such sources of funding and will have to generate funding without such partnerships:

“I foresee a huge challenge, going forward by 2016, we won’t have the back-up of other country partners anymore…it (Oxfam SA)will need the South African public to help it to have the resources to be sustainable. It’s going to be a hard challenge, just with the public.” (Int.3)

Partnerships between Oxfam and smaller NPOs also create dependencies on the part of these smaller organisations:

138

“The second challenge we are going to be facing is with other NPOs because for a very long time we have been in partnership with other NPOs, but in more instances, we have been the ones that came with the resources that are needed to do whatever intervention that we saw fit to be done in South Africa.” (Int.3)

 Pressure to be Accountable: As Oxfam engages with various partners, there will be a greater need for accountability from them, especially with regard to funding partnerships in which partners will want to know exactly how their funding was utilised so as to avoid corrupt activities and/or transactions. Being accountable to donors will further aid in building relationships of trust and ensuring successful project delivery and implementation.

“Accountability is closely linked to program quality and anchors our work in integrity and in earning and maintaining the trust of communities, donors, campaigners and other stakeholders. Building our culture of accountability is fundamental to development effectiveness, to the trust we enjoy as stewards of public funds, and our mutual accountability as individual affiliates working collectively to deliver the (Strategic) Plan.”

(Coyle, 2000, p. 22)

 Accountability: is closely linked to the public’s perception of the organisation as credible and transparent:

“Transparency and accountability are some of the driving factors around Oxfam sustainability. The credibility it derives from the impact it makes is a major factor and contributor in my opinion…and of course you then have the issues of transparency and accountability.” (Int.1)

“…and also, even how well you actually deliver the work on the ground once you receive the money, because in some instances, donors only give money after you have already delivered the work.” (Int.5)

There also exists a tension between the need to be accountable and committed to international affiliates and partners, while also serving the interests of local partners:

139

“ You are kind of torn between two worlds. There are international obligations that you have, within the international office. You are supposed to also be part of some working groups that involve people from around the world…then you also have local partners, where you are working on purely South African based issues, so there are those two operational worlds.” (Int.3)

Oxfam GB’s Partnership Policy speaks of the need to collaborate with others as central to what they do and in recognition of the fact that each affiliate can only do so much, but together they can do much more. Here again, accountability to partners and respect of the roles they play in the Oxfam Confederation are emphasised as being of significant importance. Partnerships are seen as a central factor in not only the development work that Oxfam does, but also in bringing about sustainable, long-term solutions to issues affecting the global community.

“ ‘Working with others is central to our mandate. While we can achieve much as Oxfam GB, we can achieve so much more working in partnership with others. This policy is a significant foundation for us all to ensure that we build partner relationships that are inclusive, accountable and empowering-and based on openness, trust with respect, and equality.”

(Dyson & Chang, 2005, p. 1)

“All partners, including government and the private sector, are central to creating the conditions and structural changes necessary for effective people-centered, sustainable change and development…The knowledge, skills, reach, and experience that we offer each other means that, together, we can make more of a difference than if we worked seperately.”

(Dyson & Chang, 2005, p. 3) Thus, the following variables can be identified as being influential in the Partnership dynamics in the organisation:

140 Table 4-4: Variables identified as influencing

Partnership dynamics in the organisation

Partnerships Funding Project Success Credibility Influence Learning

Pressure to be accountable Accountability

Dependency