COMPETING CONTEXTS - THE EVOLUTION OF A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS GOVERNANCE SYSTEM IN MULTIPLE ENVIRONMENTS

Using a historical case study this article presents an analysis of the evolution of a nonprofit organization and its governance structure as it was transformed from a grassroots and advocacy agency into a multi million dollar contractor with the stare. The case illustrates how boa rd functions, composition and board management relations significantly changed in response to an environment increasingly organized around g overnment's contracting out for services. The article argues that thes e changes can be understood as responses to contradictory logics embed ded in the nonprofit's environment whereby competing beliefs and ideol ogies eventually led to the creation of two distinct but loosely coupl ed organizations.