The Factors that Influence the Effectiveness of Boards and the Governance Process
The third course in this Specialization introduces you to the factors that influence how effective boards of directors will be in carrying out their roles and responsibilities and hence the impact they have in shaping the success of the organization they govern. While this course has been developed with North American culture in mind, we do appreciate that, in other parts of the world, the nature of the factors that influence the effectiveness of nonprofit boards of directors may vary.
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- Level Foundation
- Duration 13 hours
- Course by University at Buffalo
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Offered by
About
The third course in this Specialization introduces you to the factors that influence how effective boards of directors will be in carrying out their roles and responsibilities and hence the impact they have in shaping the success of the organization they govern. While this course has been developed with North American culture in mind, we do appreciate that, in other parts of the world, the nature of the factors that influence the effectiveness of nonprofit boards of directors may vary. Nevertheless,it is our hope that much of the course content will still be of value to those in other parts of the world. To learn more about this course, please watch the overview video by copying and pasting the following link into your web browser: https://goo.gl/aAMIfl. Keywords: Nonprofit; Nonprofit Sector; Voluntary Sector; Nonprofit Organizations, Non-Governmental Organizations, Volunteer Organizations, Leadership, Management, Governance, Board, Board of Directors, Performance, Effectiveness Course 3 Overview: Week 1: This week's questions: What factors influence the effectiveness of board meetings? What are the formal procedures and structures within the board that impact its performance? What can a board do to intentionally improve the way it structures itself and runs its decision making meetings? Week 2: This week's questions: What do we mean by board composition and development and why is it important? Why is it difficult to change the composition of the board? How do you design the ideal mix of board members? How do you locate, recruit and develop board members? Week 3: This week's questions: What do we mean by the "culture" of the board and why is it important? How do boards develop and pass along culture? Can board cultures be intentionally changed? What is the role of leadership in shaping board culture? What do effective nonprofit leaders involved in governance do? How can leadership be managed for higher performance? Week 4: At this stage, you are asked to review the course content, submit a written assignment (known lightheartedly as a BEAR (Board Effectiveness Readiness Assessment), and take two multiple choice Readiness Assurance Tests (known similarly as RATs). One RAT will assess knowledge and reading comprehension and the other will test application of knowledge within a practical case. Week 5: We will encourage you to discuss the RATs in the discussion forums and take them again should you wish to change any of your answers based on the information exchanged.Modules
Course 3 Overview: The Factors that Influence the Effectiveness of Boards and the Governance Process
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3
Videos
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2
Readings
3
Videos
- Specialization Welcome Video
- Course 3 Overview Video
- Course 4 (Capstone Project) Overview
2
Readings
- Course 3 Teaching and Learning Overview
- Required and Recommended Texts
Week 1
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3
Videos
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2
Readings
3
Videos
- Week 1 Lecture
- Week 1 Guest Interview with Will Brown on Board Engagement
- Interview with Dr. Laura Schweitzer: Leadership and Governance of Nonprofit Organizations from a Practitioner Perspective
2
Readings
- Week 1 Key Questions and Competencies
- Week 1 Readings and Resources
Week 1 Review
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1
Readings
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1
Assignment
1
Assignment
- Week 1
1
Readings
- Discuss Case Study
Course Project Description
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2
Videos
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3
Readings
2
Videos
- Conceptual Framework of the Elements of Board Effectiveness
- Professor Vic Murray summarizes the design of the board assessment
3
Readings
- Course Project Overview
- Option 1: Working With a Real Board
- Option 2: Working With a Fictitious Board
Week 2
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2
Videos
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2
Readings
2
Videos
- Week 2 Lecture
- Week 2 Guest Interview with Pat Bradshaw on Board Diversity
2
Readings
- Week 2 Key Questions and Competencies
- Week 2 Readings and Resources
Week 2 Review
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1
Readings
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1
Assignment
1
Assignment
- Week 2
1
Readings
- Discuss Case Study
Course Project Description
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2
Videos
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3
Readings
2
Videos
- Conceptual Framework of the Elements of Board Effectiveness
- Professor Vic Murray summarizes the design of the board assessment
3
Readings
- Course Project Overview
- Option 1: Working With a Real Board
- Option 2: Working With a Fictitious Board
Week 3
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2
Videos
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2
Readings
2
Videos
- Week 3 Lecture
- Week 3 Guest Interview with David O. Renz on Governance Beyond the Board
2
Readings
- Week 3 Key Questions and Competencies
- Week 3 Readings and Resources
Week 3 Review
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1
Readings
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1
Assignment
1
Assignment
- Week 3
1
Readings
- Discuss Case Study
Course Project Description
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2
Videos
-
3
Readings
2
Videos
- Conceptual Framework of the Elements of Board Effectiveness
- Professor Vic Murray summarizes the design of the board assessment
3
Readings
- Course Project Overview
- Option 1: Working With a Real Board
- Option 2: Working With a Fictitious Board
Review
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1
PeerReview
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2
Assignment
2
Assignment
- Readiness Assurance Test (RAT)
- RAT Application Exercise
1
Peer Review
- Board Effectiveness Assessment Reflection (BEAR) Course Project
Review
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2
Videos
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1
Readings
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2
Assignment
2
Assignment
- RAT Post Peer Learning Forum
- RAT Application Exercise Post Peer Learning Forum
2
Videos
- RAT Peer Discussion and Polling Instructions
- RAT Application Exercise Peer Discussion and Polling
1
Readings
- RAT and RAT Application Exercise Discussion and Polling Instructions
Auto Summary
Explore the key factors that influence the effectiveness of nonprofit boards with this foundational Business & Management course by Coursera. Led by experienced instructors, this five-week program delves into board meetings, composition, development, culture, and leadership. Ideal for those in the nonprofit sector, it includes assignments, assessments, and interactive discussions. Join now with a Starter subscription to enhance your governance skills and drive organizational success.
Prof. Yvonne Cafik Harrison, PhD
Prof. Vic Murray, PhD