NGO activities in changing contexts: a realistic synthesis perspective

Abstract

This study analyzes how the practices and classifications of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are formed in today’s institutional, governance, funding, and political environment. The study aims to explain how, in specific contexts, mechanisms are activated that structure NGOs’ actions and determine their positions in interactions among civil society, the state, and the market. The study uses a two-stage qualitative methodology that combines a literature review and a realistic synthesis approach. The literature review stage structures the literature on NGOs’ operating principles. At the same time, realistic synthesis helps identify the various contexts, mechanisms, and outcomes that explain how institutional, funding, governance, and political environments condition NGOs’ activities and outcomes. The study shows that NGO activities cannot be reduced to well-known types; instead, they are shaped by dynamic interactions between external expectations and internal interpretations within the organization. The study offers a conceptual basis for revising the traditional approach to NGO classification and can contribute to a broader understanding of NGOs in both academic research and policy planning.