Research Tools and Methods

Alana Conner, senior editor of the Stanford Social Innovation Review, describes the trials and tribulations of evaluating program effectiveness. An experimental social psychologist by training, she illustrates how many evaluation practices in the nonprofit sector may actually mislead funders and organizations. Although most programs would love to implement "Cadillac" evaluations, they can only afford "second-hand Yugos." Following Dr. Conner's talk, Rick Aubry, executive director of Rubicon Programs Inc., describes how his organization secured funding for a state-of-the-art evaluation system. [Abstract excerpted from website]

This report compiles various estimates of dog and cat populations, focusing on data from the American Association of Pet Product Manufacturers (APPMA). The research provides estimates of 72 million dogs and 82 million cats in U.S. households, with about 60% of all households having dogs and cats.

By adopting strategic performance measures, nonprofits can bring focus and discipline to their mission and much-needed information to donors and supporting organizations. The result: a more efficient marketplace that rewards effectiveness, thereby bringing bigger benefits to society. And in the post-Enron era, the stewardship and accountability that the Balanced Scorecard can help nonprofits achieve is just as relevant to the private sector as it is to the public sector. [Excerpted from article]

A brief description of "animal welfare" as a marketing term, used by retailers to protect and differentiate their brands and products, discusses the three basic retailing dynamics of "brand management," "innovation with supply chains," and "limitations to supply and demand."