Discovering the Global Landscape of Non-profit Organizations Psychology and Social Performance: A Bibliometric Analysis

Abstract

Objective: Nonprofit organizations are crucial in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by providing essential social services and promoting sustainable communities, especially in developing countries. However, understanding regarding the social performance of these organizations remains fragmented. The aim of this study is to bridge this knowledge gap and gain a better understanding of the global reach of nonprofits' social performance phenomenon.

Method: This study conducts a bibliometric analysis of 770 documents on non-profit organizations' social performance indexed in the Scopus database in April 2023. The study identifies current research trends, key areas, and major contributors using scientific clustering methods. The authors, publication sources, institutions, and countries were carefully examined to provide a comprehensive overview.

Results and conclusion: The results reveal that since 1972, there has been a consistent rise in research on the social performance of non-profit organizations, particularly after establishing the Sustainable Development Goals by the United Nations in 2015. There have been productive cross-country collaborations in this area, but there is insufficient research on the social performance of non-profit organizations in developing countries.

Implications of the research: This study offers important information about non-profit organizations that can guide future research, and it has significant implications for nonprofit management, funders, and policymakers in achieving sustainable communities, especially in developing countries.

Originality/value: Nonprofits engaging in commercial activities may face mission drift, accountability challenges, and governance issues. Additionally, nonprofits must focus on organizational factors, such as collaboration, capacity, human resources of social work, governance, and legitimacy for better social services.

Keywords:  social performance, social impact, non-profit, social work, bibliometric