Are Civil Society Organisations Accountable to their Beneficiaries?

A Multiple Case Study Analysis on Italy.

Abstract

This paper investigates the extent to which different type of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) practice beneficiary accountability (transparency, participation, and complaints procedure) within their own structure. Geographically, it focuses on Italian CSOs. On methodological level, a multiple case study analysis has been carried out. In particular, five CSOs had been purposefully selected and twenty multiple interviews with CSO managers and key accountability stakeholders/beneficiaries were conducted to allow data triangulation. Research findings indicate that beneficiary accountability is performed differently by diverse CSOs and it appears weak, informal and inconsistent across case-studies, especially in relation to compliance procedure and direct means of participation: the latter are poorly implemented regardless of congenital differences among CSOs (e.g. size, type and nature).