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Human Rights Watch: The $100 Million Decision (A and B)

Case number : 9 40 2021 002A-B
Case published in the International Journal of Case Studies in Management, Vol. 19, No. 1
Author :  Tanya Giannelia, Yves Plourde
Keywords :  International NGOs, Organizational strategy, Organizational credibility, Organizational structure, Internationalization
Date :  2021-01-21
Teaching notes included :  Yes
Abstract

In 2010, multibillionaire George Soros offered to donate $100 million to Human Rights Watch (HRW) – this would be both the largest donation ever received by HRW and the largest ever made by Soros. Soros, a long-time supporter of the organization, had set several stringent conditions to the offer extended via his Open Society Foundations. HRW had to commit to (1) increasing its international presence, (2) increasing the proportion of donations coming from outside the U.S. to fifty percent of total contributions within five years, (3) diversifying the geographic origin of board members, and (4) raising additional funds to match Soros’s donation. While Part A of the case focuses on the original offer, Part B is set in 2020 and summarizes what happened at HRW after it accepted the donation.

Teaching objectives
  • Analyze the potential impact of large donations on NGOs
  • Understand the role played by credibility and legitimacy in the initiatives of NGOs and how developing an international presence can contribute to them
  • Understand how credibility and legitimacy can be gained through the structure of an NGO
Primary domain :  Management  - Third sector management
Secondary domain :  Not available
Sectors :  Other
Type :  Traditional case (Descriptive or analytical case)
Event location :  Worldwide
Year of start of the event :  2010
Year the event ended :  2020
Business size :  Large enterprise
Concepts et théories en lien avec le cas

Credibility of transnational NGOs