Doing more with less? An interdisciplinary exploration of the theory and practice of back-office collaboration in the voluntary sector

For the voluntary sector, economic turbulence often means having to sustain a growing demand on services with a decreasing income. Sharing back-office functions is sometimes suggested as a way in which charities can collaborate to meet this challenge. This study explores the claims made for back-office sharing and how these are borne out by the experiences of charities engaged in such collaborations. Drawing on data gathered through semi-structured interviews with chief executive officers and senior managers of 18 charities in the United Kingdom, the study finds that charities were largely unprepared for the challenges of such collaborations and that the dominant aim of cost savings was often not achieved. A focus on effectiveness seemed to provide better results. These findings challenge the cost-savings premise of back-office collaborations. They also highlight the need for more empirical evidence, and for closer links between theory and practice, to help charities make informed decisions.