Chief financial officers’ perceptions of their roles inside nonprofit organizations
Corresponding Author
Lyn Daff
School of Commerce, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia
Correspondence
Lyn Daff, School of Commerce, University of Southern Queensland, West Street, Toowoomba, QLD 4350, Australia.
Email: lynette.daff@usq.edu.au
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Lyn Daff
School of Commerce, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia
Correspondence
Lyn Daff, School of Commerce, University of Southern Queensland, West Street, Toowoomba, QLD 4350, Australia.
Email: lynette.daff@usq.edu.au
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
Chief financial officers (CFOs) are a vital support to the effective management of organizations in all sectors. The focus of this study is the role CFOs play in nonprofit organizations. Nonprofits have unique features impinging on CFOs’ roles. The study analyzed interviews with 15 nonprofit CFOs, drawing on role theory. Participants’ role perceptions clustered around four significant themes: “protector,” “supporter,” “innovator,” and “strategist.” The protector role tended to moderate the innovator role so innovations attempted were low risk. Those who embraced innovation tended to be strategists. Challenges nonprofit CFOs faced owing to the unique features of their sector were found to influence role perceptions and lead to role conflicts and extra-role activities.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Open Research
DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT
The data used for this study are not publicly available due to confidentiality agreements.
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