CC BY
11
Perspectives of Science & Education
International Scientific Electronic Journal ISSN 2307-2334 (Online)
Available: https://pnojournal.wordpress.com/2023-2/23-02/ Accepted: 22 November 2022 Published: 30 April 2023
L. Stârek, A. Zpévâk
The legal and social stance of non-state non-profit organizations in the context of an unusual situation in the Czech Republic
Introduction. A person is forced every day to expend significant will to figure out diverse life situations. Often difficult situations occur that a person cannot manage on their own. A situation's sudden appearance and extemporaneousness can negatively influence an individual, their family, community, and broader social circle. This simplification can define an unusual situation. Unusual situations can cause to involved people a certain level of affliction. Nevertheless, over time humankind developed instincts for how to ease, eliminate, or avoid these situations. So, whether we talk about help from neighbours or professional services, it still helps people. One type of help in these unusual situations is non-profit organisations.
Study participants and methods. The main aim of this research was to find out and describe how chosen non-profit organisations in the Czech Republic prepared for unusual situations. Further, we researched the involvement of nonprofit organisations in education about unusual situations. As a method, we decided to carry out structured interviews with two workers from two non-profit organisations well known throughout the whole Czech Republic. In unusual situations, the participants were chosen deliberately concerning their job position - humanitarian aid in the Czech Republic. Regarding the established research goal, we decided on qualitative research - specifically, the interview method. Therefore, we conducted five semi-structured interviews with which the respondents agreed to be shared for the research. All interviews were recorded, and respondents knew about that and agreed with it. The outcome for every involved company was the creation of a SWOT analysis.
Results. Based on the findings, we can claim that non-state non-profit organisations have a crucial role in managing floods. Similarly, as during any other unusual situation, these non-state non-profit organisations bring to the affected areas some extra resources. Plus, they function as a mediator through which any gifts from people. Also, in some situations, their reactions and aid are more operative and flexible than help from state organisations. Therefore, all non-state non-profit organisations involved in this research are well prepared for unusual situations. However, each organisation provides different support during an unusual situation. Therefore, all mentioned organisations cannot be involved similarly. The concrete result for each company is provided in the SWOT analysis.
Practical significance. The qualitative research was conducted via interviews with specialists who orient in this area, and from them arise that non-state non-profit organisations are crucial in managing unusual situations. The concrete roles are these three. The first role is compensation which replaces state failure. This is done by delegating specific duties via a legal agreement between non-profit organisations which are able and willing to help. This compensation is intentional. Another identified role is the complementary role which is a cooperation between non-state non-profit organisations and state organisations or state aid systems. Finally, the last role is closely linked with the second role, which is the mediator's role. This role is responsible for delivering and distributing gifts and additional resources from people.
Keywords: Czech Republic, legislation, non-state non-profit organisation, unusual situation
For Reference:
Starek, L., & Zpevak, A. (2023). The legal and social stance of non-state non-profit organizations in the context of an unusual situation in the Czech Republic. Perspektivy nauki i obrazovania - Perspectives of Science and Education, 62 (2), 418-433. doi: 10.32744/pse.2023.2.24
Introduction
olunteering has been developing since ancient history. People always try to help
others in unexpected situations they might not overcome alone. Nowadays,
similar help is required as well. Further, this kind of help will be needed because
people will get into unexpected or unusual situations. In these situations, affected people need a specific type of help which are material help, financial help and mainly feeling that they are not alone. Within a growing number of unusual situations, various help procedures are also developing.
The primary help provider in the Czech Republic is emergency services secured within the legal base. Mainly, they guarantee rescue operations and disposal work. These duties help non-state non-profit organisations because the state cannot provide enough financial resources to aid people after an unusual situation. After the end of a unique situation, nonstate non-profit organisations play a crucial role in securing the required help. The state does not fund non-state non-profit organisations, and they rely on volunteering and gifts. During an unusual situation, they can offer support to affected people.
Unusual situations such as fire, floods, and an accident happen to everyone in their life. Therefore, we must detect them and be able to react adequately. Legal protection of life, health, and possession in unusual situations is assigned to emergency services. However, protection by emergency services does not happen in minutes, and an individual is forced to act to survive or save their possession. Therefore, it is crucial to support and improve the population's education [31].
Non-state non-profit organisations
A legal person creates non-sate non-profit organisations, a significant part of modern democratic society. These organisations are not created with the vision of income but with the idea of help to people who are in need or intending to meet a specific goal. The aim of non-state non-profit organisations is not to receive income. However, that does not mean they do not need money because they would not be able to function without them. Nonstate non-profit organisations can, in legal terms, do business. However, they are supposed to use this income to fund their activities [28]. There are five main characteristics of a nonstate non-profit organisation: organisation, personal character, independency of state, a tenet of no splitting profit, self-government and voluntary [20]. In the Czech Republic into category falls mainly civic associations, foundations and foundation funds, general beneficial organisations, and religious legal persons [10].
With their activities, the non-state non-profit organisations try to replace non-existing or insufficient services the state provides. These include realising leisure time activities for children, help for lower social class, education of the public in many areas, protection of environment or historic landmarks, help for disabled and older people etc. We categorise these in the third sector, which consists of the non-profit sector and social economics [15].
To fulfil the legal form of an organisation, it must have established aims or missions, which must be communicated mainly to employees. The public must understand and recognise it. The task must be short, motivational, simple, and understandable, and it must limit the uniqueness of the non-state non-profit organisation. Further, it should explain what the organisation does, for who and where. Overall, the mission is vital because it reacts to
the needs of society that the organisation fulfils, and its values originate from it. Plus, it informs an organisation's supporters about their value and profit for society and limits the place for an organisation's products. On creation of the mission should participate the most significant number of employees and representatives of state organs should be. Employees' invention, creativity, and active approach are essential [34].
An essential role in the non-state non-profit organisation has volunteering. The usage of volunteers is one of the most visible signs of non-profit organisations. Volunteers' work in practice means that the services provided by the non-profit organisation are cheaper and more effective than services from state and profit organisations. Crucial in these organisations are professionals such as lawyers, accountants, and others [17].
Non-state non-profit organisations and their placement in the legislation of the Czech Republic
The Governmental Council for Non-State Non-Profit Organisations is the stable council, co-ordinational and initiative body of the Czech Republic's government in non-state nonprofit organisations. It was founded based on the governmental decision in 1992 as the Council for foundations, and in 1998 it was transformed into The Governmental Council for Non-State Non-Profit Organisations. The primary duties of this Council are mainly the preparation of frameworks for governmental decisions in support of non-state non-profit organisations and measures for conditions in their actions. In addition, it observes, initiates and states legal groundworks related to the placement activities of a non-state non-profit organisation. It cooperates with departments, admissions, and other organs active in legal decisions supporting non-state non-profit organisations.
As mentioned above, the main reason for establishing a non-state non-profit organisation is not to make money but to help people and fulfil an organisation's mission. Every citizen has, according to Constitutional law no. 2/1993 collection charter of human fundamental human rights and freedoms [1], right to found non-state non-profit organisation if they meet all requirements. Non-state non-profit organisations function in many areas, including social help, health care, human rights protection, and international relationships.
On 31st December 2013, expired laws which edited previous civic association public general profit organisations were. Instead, the new Civil Code became valid, introducing a new form called recorded alliance. The current civic associations had three years to transform their documentation and begin to function under new law regulations. Nevertheless, general profit organisations do not need to change and work according to the expired law. However, new general available befit organisations cannot originate; instead, the Civil Code introduces so-called constitutions. Through a modern adjustment went the foundations and foundation funds which became part of the Civil code under funds (fellowship of possession which serves a concrete aim).
A recorded alliance is a legal person, and three people with similar intentions can establish it. The current Civil Code defines a recorded alliance as at least three people with the same intentions can establish an association to fulfil their purposes, a self-governed and voluntary group of members who can meet there. Membership and activity in a recorded alliance are voluntary. The main activity of recorded alliance is to help and fulfil the needs of those for whom the alliance was established. For establishing the recorder alliance, a name must be decided. This cannot be used interchangeably with the name of the legal person. Furthermore, the place of the recorded alliance must be stated with complete completeness. Further, the department of an alliance must be named, and the aim of the recorded alliance must be clearly stated [6].
General profit organisations were discussed in law no. 248/1995 collection about public profit organisations [5]. This law expired on 31st December 2013 and was replaced by the new Civil Code [6]. As aforementioned, the general profit organisation cannot change anything and can follow the expired law. However, a new public profit organisation cannot be founded. A public profit organisation is a legal person who provides general profit services. Received any member cannot use income, and it must be used only to fulfil the organisation's aims. The name of the organisation must include the label general profit organisation o.p.s ("Obecne Prospesna Organizace"). The founders of the organisation can be a physical or legal persons.
Constitutions - according to Civil Code, the constitution is a "legal person named to operate activities used in society or business with usage for personal and possessive file. Received incomes can a constitution used only for support of the activities for which the constitution was established or for paying for the cost of the organisation. The name must include 'recorded constitution' or z.u. A constitution begins to exist by singing in the public index. The main organ of a constitution is a principal, who is a statutory organ and leads the whole constitution [6].
Foundations and foundation funds fall into the type of legal person, so-called foundation. As a foundation, we call the legal person whose base is in possession. Similarly, all mentioned types of foundations and foundation funds are coined in Civil Code [6]. Foundations and foundation found aim to put money where they are needed. They help in diverse areas of need. They offer help to older adults, disabled children, homeless children, or people who are affected by unusual situations. They are founded by foundational charter or by the establishment in case of death. Between foundations and foundation funds are differences which need to be said [30]:
Foundation:
• Foundation can be established for long-term society or business aims;
• in the case of inability to fulfil their purpose, the foundation can be replaced by a similar sense;
• the name of the foundation must include the word 'foundation';
• possessions of a foundation are formed by foundational charter;
• in case of fulfilment of the aim, the foundation is eliminated, and the admission board chooses an adjuster;
• before establishing a foundation, there must be a deposit of at least 500 000 CZK;
Foundation fonds:
• are established to benefit society or farmstead, but they are considered short-term organisations;
• their name must include 'foundation fond';
• they do not need to have a deposit;
• they do not need to create a foundation charter or foundation capital;
• in case of inability to fulfil their aim, it is an admission that decides termination [2].
Non-state non-profit organisations in the context of an unusual situation
An unusual situation is defined in law no. 239/2000 collection. Emergency services and a change of some rules, harmful influence of powers and actions caused by people, natural movements, and accidents which influence life, health, possessions, or environment, require save or elimination actions [3].
Unusual situations usually have a negative influence on system function. They can slow the system, or they can cause its collapse. Further, they can be divided into two main groups. The first group would be actions caused by nature. In the Czech Republic, the most common are floods, windstorms, and fires caused by nature actions. However, people can cause unusual situations as well. Therefore, it is crucial to differentiate between intentional and unintentional acts. Technical issues, for example, chemical or radiation accidents, are consequences of human failure. On the other hand, sabotage, war, or terrorism is an intentional act.
The primary parts of emergency services are the fire department of the Czech Republic; fire safety units are involved in district protection; the medical emergency system and police of the Czech Republic provide a non-stop emergency line for announcements of an unusual situation, its evaluation and immediate reaction. In case of not activating one of four critical statuses, the primary part of the emergency system chooses and coordinates its procedure. After announcing a critical status, the emergency system follows necessary leadership according to law no. 240/2000 collection about critical leadership [4]. Further, it uses the emergency system as a co-ordinational organ.
During a more significant event, such as a mass accident or catastrophe, emergency services are first at the place of the accident and first to deal with the situation. The second available help offers non-state non-profit organisations mainly in critical survival. The level of involvement of each non-state non-profit organisation depends on agreement about provided assistance. Concretely, it can be planned, asked for help, offered personal support or cooperation.
If we take a look at the professional research that relates to the given issue, we can interpret interesting findings. The debate on the convergence of nonprofit organizations assumes that ideas and actions are consistent in organizations, that ideas are implemented in action, and, as a consequence, that organizations are becoming more organized and alike all over the world. The validity of this assumption is challenged with the support of neo-institutional theory and illustrations from three case studies of organizational development. Applying the neo-institutional concept of organizational hypocrisy, it is argued that ideas and actions can be deliberately inconsistent, as shown by the case studies, in which a convergence of ideas in one direction enabled a divergence of action in other directions. Thus, the one-dimensional debate on whether convergence is good or bad for nonprofit organizations needs to be complemented with research incorporating the ways that ideas and actions could be related and put to use in nonprofit organizations [22].
Non-profit organizations, corporate volunteer programs, and government workplace schemes are asking volunteers for their time and effort. But, with the changes in how people volunteer, such as episodic, micro, and cyber volunteering, those managing volunteers need to understand whether they should focus on encouraging volunteers to donate more time or effort. Using public service motivation to measure volunteer's propensity to engage in volunteering, we compare three outcomes: time spent volunteering, frequency of volunteering, and volunteering intensity. In a sample of 411 volunteers, we find public service motivation is associated with more time spent volunteering, increased frequency, and higher levels of volunteering intensity. However, volunteering intensity explains the most variance. These findings suggest that how the individual perceives they exert volunteering intensity may be useful among public service motivated volunteers [12].
Grassroots volunteer organizations with employees had to adapt their working conditions. The choice of a partial unemployment scheme was retained by the majority,
as the state had set up a lump-sum allowance system. Public authorities took charge of up to 84 percent of the net wage. The rest of the wage remained the responsibility of the organization. Telework was retained by 33 percent of the organizations. Another system was used for employees with children: 14 percent of the organizations were able to utilize the childcare vacation compensated by the state. Finally, some organizations were able to partially maintain faceto-face work. The grassroots volunteer organizations in the social action (32% of them) and charity (17% of them) sectors were above all able to maintain links with their beneficiaries [25].
On average, federal employees did not have a high level of turnover intention (i.e., mean was 2.33 out of 5) and there was no significant difference in turnover intention between male and female employees (mean of males=2.31, mean of females=2.35, t=1.63, not shown in the table). Although working conditions and rewards for female employees are usually inferior (e.g., lower pay, less opportunities for promotion, less authority) to those for male counterparts, researchers found that female employees showed a higher level of job satisfaction than their male counterparts - it is called a "grateful slave phenomenon". Therefore, it is not surprising that female employees did not report a significantly higher level of turnover intention than male counterparts [19].
Findings reveal that there are many rural, persistently poor counties in the South with few nonprofits. Accordingly, a basic inquiry arises - who provides services that help enhance the quality of life? More research is necessary to understand if service gaps exist, particularly with employment and nutrition. In an effort to build a foundation of knowledge regarding rural non-profit organizational capacity, the present study found several strengths. This signifies that rural nonprofits in the South have many foundational components that capacity literature identifies as critical (e.g., strategic planning, finance accountability). However, there were areas of capacity that may be lacking including board member and employee evaluation, succession planning, fundraising planning, training, human resources policies, and volunteer recruitment and management. Volunteer capacity is a prominent concern. With many rural nonprofits being small operations, they likely depend on the time and efforts of volunteers. These weaker areas of capacity provide a starting point for capacity builders to craft intentional training opportunities for rural nonprofits. Further, findings from this study are important as policymakers consider funding programs for persistently poor counties and using local nonprofits to implement them. Despite limitations, this study is a platform from which future research can be shaped about rural nonprofits [37].
Nowadays, placement is a more significant part of studies not only in employability but in the international perspective of improving educational quality mainly, by highlighting the need for practical training at diverse provisions. A placement helps with the creation and development of a professional identity. Therefore, the attention to professional identity was paid because single moments, experiences, abilities, feelings, reflections, and other aspects which students experience can help or harm one in their professional career and future employability. Thus, a placement is a place for applying theoretical knowledge and realizing whether the student made the right choice to study their major. Also, it can be seen as motivation for those who are not studying types to finish their studies, so they will be able to do their profession. Development and quality of placement is not the only result of university but a student who is representing university also. A placement is a place where a student can open the door for other students to do the same placement. A permanently developing portfolio of cooperating institutions on diverse activities such as projects, conferences, and expert seminars generates knowledge of professions" multifarious. Plus,
it generates acknowledgement about cooperation and the ability to share the information which assesses a student, a university, and their expertise [33].
Does seeing a friend supporting a nonprofit organization on social media affect one's subsequent behavior on social media? How is it different from seeing a friend supporting a luxury or utilitarian company on social media? In three experiments, we answer these questions by examining the differential influences of peer endorsement types (i.e., Facebook vs. offline social engagement) on one's subsequent social behavior on Facebook. Experiments 1, 2, and 3 show that for a nonprofit organization, peer-influence is more beneficial when encountered in an offline social engagement (e.g., wearing a cause pin as a result of donation) than viewed on Facebook. However, for a utilitarian company, peer-influence is more beneficial when it happens on Facebook than offline social engagement. For luxury companies, there is no differential effect of peer-influence on Facebook or face-to-face. Drawing on costly signaling theory, Experiment 2 demonstrates that perceived altruism is the underlying mechanism for the positive effect of offline social engagement for nonprofit organizations. Experiment 3 introduces the self-company connection as the boundary condition and shows that the positive effect of peers' offline social endorsement for nonprofits (and Facebook endorsement for utilitarian companies) only emerges when the self-company connection to the nonprofits is low [36].
Research shows that personal values influence the decision to donate to charity. However, studies of values and charitable giving have not yet examined how refined values relate to an individual donor's choice of charitable cause. In this article, we examine relations between donors' value priorities and their support for nine different types of charitable cause. We do this across two samples of donors from Australia and the United States. We show clear evidence of refined value motivations for donations to environmental, animal welfare, religious or spiritual, and international aid charities, as well as giving to other types of causes (i.e., arts or culture, education, health services, community or welfare services, and sporting clubs). Our findings suggest that the study of donor's values can offer a more nuanced understanding of what motivates their choice of charitable cause, with the potential to inform fundraising research and practice [29].
Theory recognizes the need to account for the allocation of time across activities as a potential constraint on volunteering. Drawing on the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS), for the first time, this article examines the decision to volunteer by males and females accounting for their engagement in other leisure activities that also involve discretionary time. Instrumental variable panel-data estimates reveal that it is only for females that volunteering is influenced by the choice of other leisure activities. This implies that males have more autonomy over their volunteering decision relative to their other leisure behavior compared with females. For males, this greater autonomy suggests that volunteering is more closely linked to the concept of "serious leisure" and a form of work as it is more distinct from other leisure activities. These differences have implications for volunteer recruitment [14].
Governance within the growing number of multiorganizational international nongovernmental organization (INGO) families in the humanitarian sector is challenging. Ideas are evolving about what the objectives of humanitarian INGOs should be, what the most appropriate means of achieving these objectives are, and how best to demonstrate effectiveness and integrity to others. Within this context, scholars observe that choices in governance approaches are driven largely by internal politics within the bounds of legitimacy, leading some to refer to INGOs as principled-instrumentalists. However, we know little about the principles bounding these instrumental choices. Drawing from an institutional
logics perspective, this paper compares the multiorganizational governance arrangements of 40 humanitarian INGO families with the values they espouse in their statements of values, principles, or beliefs. The idea being that these statements of values can serve as a window into the logics guiding organizational decision-making and provide the basis for how power is enacted and strategies chosen within these social settings. These findings have the potential to help leaders of multisite nonprofits make sense of the ways changing values, beliefs, and logics are prompting their organizations to reconsider how they balance inherent management tensions [9].
The topic of nonprofit succession management has gained increasing research attention in recent years. However, the organizational implementation rate of succession management is often low - and even where present, may be mere "lip service". Previous studies in the field mostly focus on the role of boards or executive directors in succession management. Grounded in shared leadership theory, this study takes a broader perspective, and stresses the shared responsibilities among boards, executive directors/division executives, and human resource (HR) professionals within the succession management process. As such, the study's framework comprises three components: shared leadership, the succession management process, and nonprofit leadership continuity as an outcome variable. The results of a large online survey in Germany (N = 1020) show that only 12.3% of responding nonprofit organizations in Germany practice tripartite shared leadership in succession management. However, applying partial least squares analysis indicates, for example, a positive relationship of shared leadership behavior among boards, executive directors/ division executives, and HR professionals with the likelihood of a systematic succession management process, as well as nonprofit leadership continuity. Reflecting on our findings and current threats to nonprofits, such as COVID-19, we conclude by offering practical implications for nonprofit decision-makers and for academia. Among other things, we argue that nonprofit practice should push for more (tripartite) shared leadership to improve succession management and leadership continuity [18].
Findings report on a nonprofit sector operating with a changed work environment and worker experience due to the pandemic. Nearly 70 percent of workers experienced at least one COVID-19-related employment change, and 53.5 percent reported three or more changes, while 88 percent of workers reported at least one change in work responsibilities. Even if workers were not experi-encing much of a personal impact due to COVID-19, witnessing, even being impacted by such pro-fessional changes likely contributed to personal anxiety and uncertainty, especially given the shifts to work from home. Moreover, these changes in work responsibilities indicate that the nature of work has changed and with so many in the sector seeing their work as a calling, how they continue to assess and reflect on their work might impact their commitment to the sector. The quantitative nature of our data prevents us from fully understanding the underlying mechanism and individual sensemaking of nonprofit workers impacted by changes in their work. Future qual-itative research could help explicate how nonprofit workers experience and make sense of multiple changes to their work [21].
Many businesses have joined governments and nonprofit organizations to serve the social needs under the tremendous pressure of Covid-19. We propose that businesses that expanded into the social domain during the Covid-19 crisis differ significantly from each other and vary extensively in value creation. We extend the motivation and ability framework to derive a typology of businesses under this situation and conceptualize value creation behaviors in both a free market and a monopolistic market with the governments as the buyer [8].
Philanthropic support of higher education is a growing area of interest among academic fundraisers and philanthropy scholars. The academic fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), in particular, are in need of a better understanding of their major donors. This article analyzes a unique database of announced gifts to higher education institutions from 1995 to 2017 to investigate relationships between major donors' characteristics and the magnitude of their gifts to STEM and all other academic disciplines. Major donors to STEM are disproportionately entrepreneurs who, on average, give larger gifts to STEM than other major donors. Quantile regressions reveal a positive and statistically significant relationship between major donors' entrepreneurial status and gift amounts at the 99th quantile (worth US$100 million or more). As major funding sources for academic STEM are increasingly threatened, these findings are pertinent to academic institutions seeking to leverage major donors as an alternative source of funding [23].
Personal assistance is personal assistance through which people with health problems disabled people can live a life that is as close as possible to the life of people without disabilities. Personal assistance gives people with disabilities the opportunity to live in their natural state environment, do not go to institutional or residential facilities and live life to the fullest my life. Although it is a young service in the Czech Republic, which has only just been introduced in the nineties of the twentieth century, it is an important, necessary and used service. I consider it meaningful because it gives people with disabilities a chance involvement in the lives of healthy people at all levels, in educational, work and social areas, strives for equal inclusion in society and at the same time it provides a preventive measure as it addresses a social handicap; therefore exclusion from society as a result of a health disadvantage. The aim of the contribution is to describe the process of personal assistance as a social service that reflects modern social trends and approaches that support the individuality of the individual and his full involvement in social unity [32].
Methods
Based on the problem we decided to investigate, there are two types of research that we could use qualitative or quantitative research or their combination. Eriksen [16] described the difference between these two types: In social science, there are two types of research, specifically quantitative and qualitative. Quantitative research finds out a little about many things, whereas qualitative research finds a lot about a small group of subjects. Akker van der [7] claims that qualitative research is a detailed understanding of meaning, while quantitative research provides some data generalisation. In the context of our research, we decided to use the qualitative research method. Specifically, we choose to carry out some interviews. In nowadays rapidly evolving society, new research topics occur on daily bases. Qualitative research is suitable for some of these topics due to its flexibility. We are convinced that qualitative research has its place in pedagogical science and social work [13].
Respondents' characteristic
What type of respondents have we chosen and why? The logic of our choice corresponds with the focus of this paper and the research questions. First, the respondents' choice should be made to maximise the variability of transfiguration, which raises the chance for us to observe the relations between conditional and unconditional transfiguration [27].
When concrete non-state non-profit organisations were asked to participate, we decided on a specific choice. These organisations deal mainly with help in unusual situations. The condition we had was the whole republic's function and knowledge of the area, including at least ten years of tradition in the field. The following condition was the existence of the position of a specialist in unusual situations in the context of the Czech Republic. Other criteria were not defined. Regarding the established requirements, we have asked six nonstate non-profit organisations, and two were willing to participate in the research.
Characteristics of involved non-state non-profit organisations
Civic Association ADRA (Adventist Development and Relief Agency) is an international humanitarian organisation providing help to needy people. It focuses on providing physical, psychological, and spiritual support to people affected by a catastrophe. In addition, it realises humanitarian assistance connected to emergency systems during unusual situations. The organisation is based in London, but it has operated in the Czech Republic since 1919. However, due to the communist regime, it was terminated in 1950.
Nevertheless, from 1990 their members focus on humanitarian aid and aid for people in the lower socio-economic situation and other citizens in need. In the Czech Republic, they run many centres such as housing for homeless people, day centres for homeless people and released prisoners, houses for mothers and children, farms, housing for elderly adults and several community centres [26]. ADRA is one of the coordinators in the Czech Republic and is actively involved during environmental catastrophes. ADRA has operated in the Czech Republic since 1992. During an unusual situation, ADRA secures active monitoring of a condition, establishes coordinator centres, and provides mainly material, manual, financial, psycho-social, and spiritual help. ADRA can provide material aid such as disinfection material, tools for removing mud, and plasters' rehabilitation, and it borrows dryers. It actively renews supplies in humanitarian warehouses, continuously educates coordinators, and actualizes and employs new technologies. ADRA has participated in every bigger flood and cooperates during car accidents where they provide first psychological help. Nevertheless, they help during unusual situations caused by human factors such as death or unpleased life conditions.
The Czech Red Cross is a humanitarian organisation which operates in the whole Czech Republic since 1993. It is a recognised military and healthcare organisation in the citizens' protection sphere. It provides help in unusual situations and in critical situations, which includes medical, social, emergency, and other humanitarian services. In addition, this organisation spreads the knowledge of the Geneva Conventions [26]. The Czech Red Cross help mainly during environmental catastrophes, industrial accidents, military conflicts, and everywhere people are affected. Providing aid for them is impossible for the state and their organs. The help is realised via seven principles of an international movement of the Red Cross and Red Half Moon: humanity, objectiveness, neutrality, independence, voluntary, unity, and globality. The help is mainly provided to affected people, wounded people, especially children and older adults affected by environmental catastrophes or conflicts [35]. The Czech Red Cross is an international organisation part of a worldwide system of the Red Cross and Red Half Moon. These movements provide neutral, objective protection and support to people affected by environmental catastrophes or conflicts. It is the most significant world humanitarian organisation, which involves three main parts: national companies, international boards of the Red Cross, and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Half Moon. At the end of 2021, the Czech Red Cross had 14 410
members and volunteers assigned to 442 local groups of the Czech Red Cross in 64 regional associations. The number of employees was 585. In 2021 they provided help and service to 404 248 people [11].
The interviews
The primary purpose of interviews was to collect enough data about the related phenomenon. The interviews were conducted with leaders who orient in the area of our interest on the whole republic level in the chosen organisation. So, we would have enough information to create the SWOT analysis, which reflects on the selected organisation. We conducted two extensive semi-structured interviews with which the respondents agreed to be shared for the research. All interviews were recorded, and respondents knew about that and agreed with it. If some of the respondents would not agree, the researcher was prepared to make written notes of the respondents' answers. The interviews were conducted in the working environment of each respondent, so it was a familiar environment for all respondents. To all respondents, we offered to interview in a coffee shop or somewhere else where they might find it comfortable. None of the respondents used this option. All interviews were conducted without the presence of someone else. General questions were asked at the beginning to build an open and friendly relationship between the researcher and participants. The researcher used general questions to build trust and a friendly atmosphere. All these aspects helped to achieve a friendly and relaxed atmosphere.
The research aimed to ask all questions similarly without any change of intonation and accent to show interest in all participants' answers. We did not forget to analyse all respondents' reactions, behaviour, and non-verbal communication, such as movements, gestures, mimics, smiles, laughter, and eye movement. All interviews were conducted without any embarrassment, which would ruin the trusting atmosphere between the researcher and participants. All respondents proved their interest in the topic.
Every research conducted with people brings diverse risks for participants and researchers. The primary duty of a researcher is to eliminate risks and provide the maximum possible protection and security for all participants and collected data. To achieve this, a researcher should follow ethical codices and own conscience [24]. The primary purpose of research's ethical principles is to avoid conflicts between researchers and participants and between possible donators.
Results
Results for ADRA organisation:
Strengths
• Education; volunteers, volunteering centres, information centres, websites, warehouses, publicity of organisations in the Czech Republic, public donations, DMS, religious organisations.
Weaknesses
• Non-existing social media, lack of organisational presentation (events, summer camps), non-existing offices in cities in the Czech Republic, lack of psychologists.
Opportunities
• They are creating social media (Facebook, Instagram), organisation of own events, organisation of summer camps, and better advertisements.
Threats
• Distrust to volunteers (possible cheaters), financial crises, non-functioning of public donations.
Non-state non-profit organisation ADRA have main strengths. Volunteers and employees are regularly educated. Training is done every three months through topical workshops with a communal interventionist psycho-social team. ADRA also supports the training and activities of psycho-social team helpers, which cooperates with the leadership of the Fire emergency service. Together they publish leaflets for the public and organise various conferences. ADRA organisation has many volunteering centres in many Czech cities; concretely, it is 15 cities. For example, in Ceske Budejovice, Prague, Plzen, Brno, Zlin, Liberec, and Ostrava etc. There work around 2575 volunteers. Further, an information centre has a solution for unusual situations. The website feed into broader public knowledge. The organisation has a long tradition since 1992; hence it is one of the well-known non-state non-profit organisations in the Czech Republic. It is a religious organisation where most volunteers are church members, and the church financially supports ADRA. The organisation sets up temporary warehouses for humanitarian donations and distributes them. It also organises public contributions, which can be supported by donations and text messages (DMS).
ADRA's weakness is mainly a lack of presence on social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram. The organisation does not have an effective presentation in the form of public lectures and leaflets, and they do not organise summer camps which could attract the younger generation. Also, they do not have centres in larger cities such as Hradec Kralove, Usti nad Labem, or Pardubice. There is not a person who studies psychology in this organisation. Psycho-social help provides volunteers who have been trained in this area.
An opportunity can be creating social media sites where the organisation can share pictures from events or current projects and information about their work. Nowadays, people spend more time on social media sites, so the organisation has significant potential to reach out to more people. For example, visits to high schools and universities can interest young people and attract them to volunteer. Another point for improvement is better advertisement via billboards which the public might notice.
The biggest threat for ADRA in future can be distrust towards volunteers. Today, many people might introduce themselves as members of a non-profit organisation, and they collect money for their profit. Broader society is informed about these practices from TV, and they do not want to contribute to diverse projects from a non-state non-profit organisation. Financial aid can be due to this lower, and an economic crisis can occur. This threat is linked to the non-function of public donations, which due to this, can be terminated.
Results for the Czech Red Cross organisation:
Strengths
• Public knowledge, involvement in broader society, compulsory training, summer camps, competitions, leisure time activities, emergency humanitarian warehouse, membership in a humanitarian group, public donations, immediate and aftercare, and contributions from local offices.
Weaknesses
• No contracts with large suppliers, no participation in the training of emergency services and training organized by regional offices, lack of advertainment for new members into humanitarian groups, no psychologist.
Opportunities
• In the future more recruitment into humanitarian groups, cooperation with
companies and larger suppliers, a possible advertisement for recruitment into humanitarian groups, hire a psychologist.
Threats
• Possible leave of employees into the more financially supported area, financial crisis.
The non-state non-profit organisation, the Czech Red Cross, have more strengths than weaknesses. The organisation is financially stable and has many members in humanitarian groups and employees. Due to leisure time activities, social media sites, leaflets etc., the organisation is well known in wider society. Thus, it is known throughout the whole Czech Republic. The Czech Red Cross founded the Fund of Humanity, which supports medically weaker people, eases discomfort in unusual situations, and helps in health and social institutions. Every citizen can voluntarily donate via bank transfer, online, QR code, or text message (DMS). Through immediate and aftercare, the organisation mainly helps people affected by the unusual situation. Therefore, immediate help is required at the moment, into aftercare falls psycho-social care. Training of humanitarian group members feeds into professionality in given activities.
The weakness is non-participation in training for emergency services and activities provided by regional offices, which could be changed in the future. Due to participation in this training, the individual members of humanitarian groups could be more educated in diverse unusual situations. Also, there are no contracts between organisations and larger suppliers that can cause higher costs, for example, for cleaning supplies etc. Thus, the larger suppliers might offer some discount for the organisation if they would agree to cooperate. The members of humanitarian groups volunteer, but there is significant potential in advertisement and propagation. These could strongly influence public knowledge about possible involvement.
Further, no one studies psychology. There are only members of humanitarian groups who were trained in this area. Nevertheless, there are only a few weaknesses of this organisation.
Opportunities for this organisation lies in the recruitment of more member for humanitarian groups. This area could be developed through better usage of social media sites or websites. In addition, the Czech Red Cross could begin a partnership with some larger suppliers or companies offering materials useable for their work. This could result in some discounts and savings on supplies or materials. Hire a psychologist for a permanent contract is another opportunity which should be used.
Even though the threats for this organisation are minimal and the organisation does not have any solid concurrent in the Czech Republic, it is still important to talk about them. A potential threat is the leave of employees into a better financially supported industry. However, this threat is individual. Also, it is possible that a financial crisis can occur in future. This is mainly related to the organisation's funding. Non-state non-profit organisations are often less funded, and their budget is lower, which can cause a financial crisis and lead to employee leave.
An additional finding is that non-state non-profit organisations help educate the wider society and prepare them for an unusual situation. Further, it was found that both organisations organize leisure time activities, summer camps, and competitions which attract children and young people who might later join an organisation as volunteers or employees. These people can help prepare for unusual situations or their solutions in the future. Some organisations do not organize such activities, but they distribute leaflets in society which secures their propagation.
_Discussion
From the presented findings, we can assume that non-state non-profit organisations have a crucial role while managing floods. Similarly, during different unusual situations, these subjects provide sufficient resources. Moreover, they function as a mediator through which the aid is distributed to those in need. Also, they are sometimes more flexible and operative than emergency services.
All non-state non-profit organisations involved in our research are well prepared for the occurrence of an unusual situation. However, each organisation provides during exceptional situations different kinds of support. Thus, the mentioned organisation cannot participate at a similar level.
Researched organisations are, according to their answers, satisfied with their current situation while they highlight that there is no need to change something. However, it is an evaluation of the current situation, and that might change in future. An essential result from the last part is that the human factor is crucial during agreeing, collaboration and cooperation during provided support. However, people change in diverse positions. Thus, it is vital to think about the current situation and possible continuous conditions.
Volunteers are an essential part of these organisations. They can work in several positions, such as preparation for an unusual situation or work on rehabilitation after a unique situation. Organisations are upbringing their volunteers in diverse preparation activities. They can recruit volunteers via leaflets, personal contacts, and others. Also, they regularly train and educate their employees and volunteers. Organisations which provide education for their employees and volunteers achieve a more professional attitude.
Both organisations are in terms of origin were established during an unusual situation in cooperation with emergency systems.
The main contribution of this research is that it synthesizes notes about the roles of nonstate non-profit organisations during an unusual situation of great extent and, with them, linked benefits, costs, limits, and risks in the Czech Republic and the world as well.
Non-state non-profit organisations, as we know them in the Czech Republic today, are, to some extent, new institutions. Even though some of the organisations continue in the tradition from the First Republic (1919) age, the current appearance forms since the beginning of the 90s of the 20th century. Forming a non-state non-profit organisation in a newly forming democratic country and probably lacking experience providing aid to citizens in critical situations can potentially lead to deciding on using the method 'failure-successes'. In contrast, volunteers and non-state non-profit organisations helped raise new ideas and fill gaps. Furthermore, volunteers from the non-state on-profit organisation since 2004 can fill the gaps after moving the Czech army into the professional sphere. Similarly, in foreign countries, non-state non-profit organisations have proved themselves indispensable.
Conclusion
From the findings of this qualitative research conducted via interviews with professionals who orients in this area, we can assume that non-state non-profit organisations fulfil a crucial role in managing unusual situations. The organisation's substantial role is compensation - which lies in the state's compensation through
delegation of duties, for example, via an agreement with non-profit organisations that can fulfil the needs of affected people. This is intentional compensation. Another identified role is role complementary which is the role of non-state non-profit organisations as partners of state organisations or emergency systems. Finally, the last role is the role of a mediator. Help with non-state non-profit organisations offer comes from donators. Organisations function as a mediator between a donor and a receiver.
The human factor was identified as one of the crucial factors which can be a limitation during participation of non-state non-profit organisations during unusual situations. According to interviewed experts, the level of necessary collaboration and cooperation during these situations depends on individuals' mutual respect, will and attitudes. If an individual is a person who is 'personally limited,' it can limit the whole collaboration, communication, and cooperation. Participating in non-state non-profit organisations can also bring some risks. For example, dangers in safety, health security or overload on workers.
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Information about the authors
Lukás Stárek
(Czech Republic, Prague) Mgr., Ph.D., MBA, DBA Department of Special Education Univerzita Jana Amose Komenského Praha s.r.o.
E-mail: starek.lukas@ujak.cz ORCID ID: 0000-0002-6068-215X Scopus Author ID: 57222578369 ResearcherID: ACO-3262-2022
Ales Zpévák
(Czech Republic, Prague)
JUDr., Ph.D.
Police Academy of the Czech Republic in Prague
E-mail: zpevak@polac.cz ORCID ID: 0000-0001-5101-2093
