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Chief financial officers’ perceptions of their roles inside nonprofit organizations
Author(s) -
Daff Lyn
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
financial accountability and management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.661
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 1468-0408
pISSN - 0267-4424
DOI - 10.1111/faam.12233
Subject(s) - innovator , supporter , strategist , perception , business , public relations , nonprofit sector , marketing , accounting , finance , political science , psychology , archaeology , neuroscience , entrepreneurship , history
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.