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Professor Chris Cornforth

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Professor of Organisational Governance and Management

Professor Chris Cornforth is a member of The Open University's Centre for Public Leadership and Social Enterprise.

You can email Professor Chris Cornforth directly; but for media enquiries please contact a member of The Open University's Media Relations team.

Staff profile

See below for Professor Chris Cornforth's:

Biography

Chris is Professor of Organisational Governance and Management. He joined The Open University Business School in 1988 to help establish an innovative new management programme for managers in voluntary and non-profit organisations. This successful programme and has been studied by over 5,000 managers in the sector. More recently he led the development of the MSc in Management and Business Research Methods and the MRes Management and Business. His research focuses on the governance and management of non-profit organisations, such as charities, social enterprises, schools and colleges. This work has helped to break new ground both methodologically and theoretically. 

Teaching interests

Chris has taught on a range of Certificate, Diploma and MBA modules. His main current responsibility is for the Masters in Management and Business Research Methods. He is module team chair of  B852 ‘Management and Business Research’ and the Management and Business Research Methods module offered to full-time MRes students in the School. He is a course team member of a new MBA module B847 'Management Beyond the Mainstream'.

Research interests

Chris' main research focuses on the governance and management of public and non-profit organisations. His aim is to conduct ‘engaged’ research that is theoretically informed but also has strong relevance for policy and practice. He has carried out a series of research projects that focus on the composition and role of boards, the relationship between boards and management, board effectiveness and the role of board in organisational failure and turnaround. Recent research includes an international comparative study of what makes board chairs effective with colleagues in the US and Canada, and a study of the governance of cross-sector partnerships.

Impact and engagement

Chris has played and continues to play an important leadership role in the academic community. He was a board member of the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA) from 2006-8, and has been a board member of the Voluntary Sector Studies Network since 2009 and continues to serve as Chair since Dec. 2010. He was a member of the editorial board of Economic and Industrial Democracy from 1986-1998. He was co-editor of policy reviews for the journal Voluntary Sector Review from 2009-11 and is currently a  member of the editorial boards of the journals Nonprofit Management and Leadership and Social Business.

Chris' research has had an important impact on policy and practice. He was part of a team that won a tender from the Home Office in 2003 to develop an 'integrated governance strategy for the voluntary and community sectors'. His research was drawn upon in the Cabinet Office's Strategy Unit (2002) report on the reform of the Charities Act Private Action and Public Benefit and the Home Office's (2004) policy document Change Up: Capacity Building and Infrastructure Framework for the Voluntary and Community Sector. He was a member of the steering group overseeing the develop of  National Occupational Standards for Trustees and Management Committee Members, which were successfully launched in 2006. He has carried out research for the Governance Hub examining how the or organisation could better support social enterprises. He is a member of  the National Council for Voluntary Organisation's (NCVO) Governance Forum.

External contributions

Chris has played an active role in the third sector. He was a governance consultant to the NCVO's Board Development Programme, and has run master classes and workshops for them. He was a consultant to Co-operatives UK developing learning materials for the Governance and Participation toolkit. He has published articles in various third sector magazines, including NGO Finance and Caritas, and produced booklets and reports for NCVO and the Charities Aid Foundation, including a booklet on charity mergers. He has served on various non-profit boards and is currently a board member of a housing association.

International collaborations

Chris has been active in a number of international academic associations including ARNOVA, the International Society for Third Sector Research, the International Sociological Association and the European Group of Organisational Studies. He has organised sessions at a variety of international conferences including the ARNOVA annual conference and the European Academy of Management conference. In 2002-3 he was a member of the International Working Group on Governance Structures in the Social Economy, part of the International Scientific Commission on the Social and Co-operative Economy, organised by the Centre for Research and Information on the Public and Co-operative Economy (CIRIEC), Liege, Belgium.  He has carried out collaborative research on the role of board chairs with colleagues from universities in Canada and the US. He is currently co-editing a new book 'New Perspectives on Nonprofit Governance' with an American colleague, including contributions from Australia, Canada, the UK and the USA.

Areas of expertise

  • organisational governance
  • boards
  • governing bodies
  • effectiveness
  • third sector organisations

Publications

Journal papers
Harrison, Y, Murray, V, Cornforth, C  (2012)  'Perceptions of Board Chair Leadership Effectiveness in Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Organizations', Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary Nonprofit Organizations, pp. (In press). Abstract
Cornforth, C  (2011)  'Nonprofit Governance Research: Limitations of the Focus on Boards and Suggestions for New Directions', Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, pp. (Online First). Abstract
Cornforth, C, Mordaunt, J  (2011)  'Organisational Capacity Building: Understanding the Dilemmas for Foundations of Intervening in Small- and Medium-Size Charities', Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary Nonprofit Organizations, vol. 22, issue 3, pp. 428-449. Abstract
Spear, RG, Cornforth, CJ, Aiken, M  (2009)  'The governance challenges of social enterprises: evidence from a UK empirical study', Annals of Public and Co-operative Economics, vol. 80, issue 2, pp. 247-273. Abstract
Paton, R, Mordaunt, J, Cornforth, CJ  (2007)  'Beyond nonprofit management education: leadership development in a time of blurred boundaries and distributed learning', Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, vol. 36, issue 4, pp. 148S-162S. Abstract
Cornforth, CJ, Paton, R  (2004)  'Editorial:failure and turnaround in public and non-profit organizations', Public Money and Management, vol. 24, issue 4, Blackwell Publishing Ltd, pp. 197-199. Abstract
Mordaunt, J, Cornforth, CJ  (2004)  'The role of boards in the failure and turnaround of non-profit organizations', Public Money and Management, vol. 24, issue 4, Blackwell Publishing Ltd, pp. 227-234. Abstract
Cornforth, CJ  (2004)  'The governance of co-operatives and mutual associations: a paradox perspective', Annals of Public and Co-operative Economics, vol. 75, issue 1, Blackwell Publishing, pp. 11-32. Abstract
Cornforth, CJ  (2004)  'The governance of social enterprises: a paradox perspective', Economie et Solidarites, vol. 35, issue 1/2, pp. 81-99.
Cornforth, CJ, Simpson, CA  (2002)  'Change and continuity in the governance of nonprofit organizations in the United Kingdom: the impact of organizational size', Non-profit Management and Leadership, vol. 12, issue 4, John Wiley, pp. 451-470. Abstract
Cornforth, CJ  (2002)  'Making sense of co-operative governance: Competing models and tensions', Review of International Co-operation, vol. 95, issue 1, pp. 51-57.
Cornforth, CJ  (2001)  'La gouvernance des coopératives et des sociétés mutualistes : une perspective de paradoxe', Economie et Solidarites, vol. 35, issue 1-2.
Cornforth, CJ  (2001)  'What makes boards effective? An examination of the relationships between board inputs, structures, processes and effectiveness in non-profit organizations', Corporate Governance: an International Review, vol. 9, issue 3, pp. 217-227. Abstract
Cornforth, CJ, Edwards, C  (1999)  'Board roles in the strategic management of public service of non-profit organizations: theory and practice', Corporate Governance: an International Review, vol. 7, issue 4, Blackwell Publishing, pp. 346-362. Abstract
Cornforth, CJ  (1999)  'Improving the value of voluntary boards', Journal of Voluntary Action, vol. 1, issue 2, pp. 37-51. Abstract
Cornforth, CJ  (1995)  'Patterns of co-operative management: Beyond the degeneration thesis', Economic and Industrial Democracy, vol. 16, issue 4, SAGE Publications, pp. 487-523. Abstract
Cornforth, CJ, Thomas, A  (1995)  'The structure of the worker co-operative sector in the UK: Interpreting recent trends', Annals of Public and Co-operative Economics, vol. 65, issue 4, Blackwell Publishing, pp. 641-656.
Cornforth, CJ, Thomas, A  (1990)  'Co-operative Development of the International Journal Economic and Industrial Democracy', Economic and Industrial Democracy - Special Issue, vol. 11, issue 4, SAGE Publications, pp. 153.
Cornforth, CJ, Thomas, A  (1990)  'Co-operative development: Barriers, support structures and cultural factors', Economic and Industrial Democracy, vol. 11, issue 4, pp. 451-461.
Cornforth, CJ, Thomas, A  (1990)  'Cooperative development: barriers, support structures and cultural factors', Economic and Industrial Democracy, vol. 11, issue 4, pp. 451-461.
Thomas, A, Cornforth, CJ  (1989)  'The survival and growth of worker co-operatives: a comparison with small businesses', International Small Business Journal, vol. 8, issue 1, SAGE Publications, pp. 34-50. Abstract
Thomas, A, Cornforth, CJ  (1989)  'A model for democratic decision-making: the case of worker co-operatives', Economic Analysis and Workers Management, vol. 23, issue 1, pp. 1-15.
Cornforth, CJ  (1988)  'Can entrepreneurship be institutionalised? The case of worker co-operatives', International Small Business Journal, vol. 6, issue 4, SAGE Publications, pp. 10-19. Abstract
Cornforth, CJ  (1984)  'The role of local co-operative development agencies in promoting worker co-operatives', Annals of Public and Co-operative Economics, vol. 55, issue 3, Blackwell Publishing, pp. 253-280.
Cornforth, CJ, Taylor, S, Varelidis, N  (1983)  'Guidelines for industrial training based on practice in the Youth Opportunities Programme', Journal of European Industrial Training, vol. 7, issue 6, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, pp. 03-Oct.
Cornforth, CJ, Taylor, LS, Varelidis, N  (1983)  'Learning through work experience in Britain', Journal of European Industrial Training, vol. 7, issue 6, pp. 3-10. Abstract
Cornforth, CJ  (1983)  'Some factors affecting the success or failure of worker co-operatives: A review of empirical research in the United Kingdom', Economic and Industrial Democracy, vol. 4, issue 2, SAGE Publications, pp. 163-190. Abstract
Cornforth, CJ  (1982)  'Trade unions and producer co-operatives', Economics and Industrial Democracy, vol. 3, issue 1, SAGE Publications, pp. 17-30. Abstract
Books
Cornforth, Chris J. (ed)  (2003)  'The governance of public and non-profit organizations: What do boards do? (illustrated reprint)', vol. 6, Abingdon, U.K., Routledge. Abstract
Cornforth, Chris J. (ed)  (2002)  'The Governance of public and non-profit organisations: what do boards do?', Oxford, UK, Routledge. Abstract
Cornforth, CJ  (2001)  'Recent trends in charity governance and trusteeship', Guide to Board Development, London, NCVO, pp. 28. Abstract
Batsleer, Julian S., Cornforth, Chris J., Paton, Rob (eds)  (1991)  'Issues in voluntary and non-profit management', Wokingham, UK, Addison Wesley.
Blyton, Paul, Cornforth, Chris J., Széll , György (eds)  (1989)  'The state, trade unions and self-management: issues of competence and control', Walter De Gruyter Inc.
Cornforth, CJ, Thomas, A, Spear, RG, Lewis, JM  (1988)  'Developing Successful Worker Co-operatives', London, Sage Publications Ltd. Abstract
Book chapters
Cornforth, CJ, Spear, RG  (2010)  'The governance of hybrid organisations', Hybrid Organizations and the Third Sector: Challenges for Practice, Theory and Policy, Basingstoke, UK, Palgrave, pp. 70-89.
Cornforth, CJ, Chambers, N  (2010)  'The role of corporate governance and boards in organisational performance', Connecting Knowledge and Performance in Public Services: From Knowing to Doing, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, pp. 99-127. Abstract
Cornforth, CJ  (2005)  'Conclusions: contexualising and managing the paradoxes of governance', The governance of public and non-profit organizations: what do boards do?, London, UK, Routledge, pp. 237-253. Abstract
Cornforth, CJ  (2005)  'Contribution', The Board Answer Book, UK, National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO). Abstract
Cornforth, CJ, Mordaunt, J  (2004)  'The governance of the voluntary and community sector - the starting point', Developing an Integrated Governance Strategy for the Vountary and Community Sector: volume of evidence, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, The Foundation for Good Governance, pp. 7-14. Abstract
Cornforth, CJ  (2003)  'The changing context of governance - emerging issues and paradoxes', The governance of public and non-profit organizations: what do boards do?, London, UK, Routledge, pp. 1-20. Abstract
Cornforth, CJ, Simpson, CA  (2003)  'The changing face of charity governance: the impact of organizational size', The Governance of Public and Non-profit Organizations: what do boards do?, London, Routledge, pp. 187-206. Abstract
Cornforth, CJ  (2003)  'Conclusions: contexualising and managing the paradoxes of governance', The governance of public and non-profit organizations: what do boards do?, London, UK, Routledge, pp. 237-253. Abstract
Cornforth, CJ  (2003)  'Introduction: the changing context of governance - emerging issues and paradoxes', The Governance of Public and Non-profit Organizations: What do boards do?, London, UK, Routledge. Abstract
Cornforth, CJ  (2003)  'Summary and conclusions: Contextualising and managing the paradoxes of governance', The Governance of Public and Non-profit Organizations: What do Boards do?, London, UK, Routledge. Abstract
Edwards, C, Cornforth, CJ  (2003)  'What influences the strategic contribution of boards?', The governance of public and non-profit organizations: what do boards do?, London, UK, Routledge, pp. 77-96. Abstract
Cornforth, CJ, Batsleer, JS, Paton, R  (1998)  'Opening up non-profit management development: a national development based on distance learning', Non-profit Management Education: US and World Perspectives, Westport, CT, USA, Greenwood Publishing Group, pp. 33-45. Abstract
Cornforth, CJ, Paton, R, Batsleer, JS  (1998)  'Opening up non-profit management development: Lessons from the Open University's voluntary sector management programme', Non-profit Management Education: US and World Perspectives, Westport, CT, Praegan, pp. 33-45.
Cornforth, CJ  (1994)  'Governing non-profit organizations: heroic myths and human tales', Researching the Voluntary Sector, London, UK, Charities Aid Foundation.
Cornforth, CJ, Thomas, A  (1994)  'Worker co-operatives 1988-1993: decline or growth?', The world of co-operative enterprise 1995, Oxford, UK, Plunkett Foundation.
Cornforth, CJ  (1992)  'Co-operatives', Concise encyclopaedia of participation and co-management, New York, Walter De Gruyter Inc.
Paton, R  (1991)  'The social economy: value-based organizations in the wider society', Issues in voluntary and non-profit management, London, U.K., Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, pp. 3-12. Abstract
Paton, R, Cornforth, CJ  (1991)  'What's different about managing in voluntary and nonprofit organizations?', Issues in voluntary and nonprofit management, Addison-Wesley, pp. 36-46.
Cornforth, CJ  (1990)  'Worker co-operatives: Temporary phenomenon or growing trend', International Handbook of Participation in Organizations, UK, Oxford University Press. Abstract
Cornforth, CJ  (1989)  'Lake School of English', Co-ops to the Rescue, London, UK, ICOM Co-Publications.
Cornforth, CJ  (1989)  'The role of support organizations in developing worker co-operatives: a model for promoting economic and industrial democracy?', The State, Trade Unions and Self-Management: Issues of Competence and Control, Berlin, Walter De Gruyter, pp. 107-124.
Paton, R  (1989)  'A very concrete example', Co-ops to the rescue!, London, U.K., ICOM Co-publications, pp. 88-105.
Cornforth, CJ  (1989)  'Worker co-operatives in Britain: a review of the literature', London Business School Small Business Bibliography, London, UK, London Business School.
Cornforth, CJ  (1988)  'The role of managers in worker co-operatives', Yearbook of Co-operative Enterprise 1988, Oxford, UK, Plunkett Foundation for Co-operative Studies.
Cornforth, CJ, Paton, R  (1988)  'Worker co-operatives and the democratisation of work in Europe', Worker Freedom: The Promise of Workplace Democracy, New York, TOES Books.
Cornforth, CJ  (1986)  'Local co-operative support organizations in Britain: an assessment of their effectiveness in developing working co-operatives', The Yearbook of Agricultural Co-operation, Oxford, UK, Plunkett Foundation.
Cornforth, CJ  (1986)  'The role of local co-operative development agencies in promoting worker co-operatives', Readings in Small Business, Aldershot, Gower.
Cornforth, CJ  (1986)  'Worker co-operatives: factors affecting their success and failure', The Survival of the Small Firm, Aldershot, Gower.
Conference papers
Hayes, JP, Cornforth, C, Vangen, S  (2011)  'Governance in cross-sector partnerships involving third sector organisations', 25th British Academy of Management Conference, Birmingham. Abstract
Hayes, JP, Cornforth, C, Vangen, S  (2011)  'Tensions: a challenge to governance and cross-sector partnerships', 18th Multi-Organisational Partnerships Alliances and Networks, Glasgow. Abstract
Cornforth, CJ  (2010)  'Challenges and future directions for third sector governance research', 10th EURAM Conference, Rome, Italy. Abstract
Cornforth, CJ, Robson, P  (2010)  'Governance issues in voluntary organisations with local-national structures', VSSN Conference, Sheffield Hallam University. Abstract
Cornforth, CJ, Robson, R  (2010)  'The Governance of Complex, Multi-Organisation Voluntary Organisations: Towards a Research Agenda', a paper presented at the VSSN conference, Sheffield Hallam University, May, 2010.
Cornforth, CJ, Harrison, Y, Murray, V  (2009)  'A comparison of the role and impact of board chairs in United Kingdom and North American nonprofit organizations', Nonprofit Governance Conference, University of Missouri, Kansas City, USA.
Cornforth, CJ, Harrison, Y, Murray, V  (2009)  'The role and impact of chairs of governing bodies in the UK voluntary sector', NCVO/VSSN Researching the Voluntary Sector Conference 2009, Warwick University, UK.
Cornforth, CJ, Mordaunt, J, Aiken, M  (2008)  'Building capacity: Understanding the dilemmas of intevening in small and medium size charities', NCVO/VSSN Annual Research Conference, Warwick University.
Cornforth, CJ, Spear, RG, Aiken, M  (2007)  'Governance and social enterprise', CIRIEC Research Conference on the Social Economy, Victoria, Canada.
Cornforth, CJ, Spear, RG, Aiken, M  (2007)  'Governing social enterprise: emerging challenges and needs', 36th Annual ARNOVA Conference, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Cornforth, CJ, Mordaunt, J, Aiken, M, Otto, S  (2007)  'The grant maker, the change-maker and the organisation: exploring the relationship of capacity building', VSSN/NCVO Researching the Voluntary Sector Conference, University of Warwick, UK.
Baguley, J, Cornforth, CJ, Mallory, GR  (2005)  'Globalizing NGOs: A stage theory perspective on processes of international evolution', 34th Annual ARNOVA Conference, Washington, USA.
Baguley, J, Cornforth, CJ, Mallory, GR  (2005)  'How do Northern non-governmental organizations (NGOs) internationalise?: a stage theory approach', ISTR and EMES Conference, Paris, France. Abstract
Mordaunt, J, Cornforth, CJ, Otto, S  (2004)  'Crisis, failure and recovery and the governance of public and nonprofit organizations: the effects of participation', 6th International Society for Third Sector Research Conference,, Toronto, Canada. Abstract
Cornforth, CJ, Mordaunt, J  (2004)  'The role of boards in organizational failure and turnaround', 8th International Research Symposium on Public Management, Budapest, Hungary.
Baguley, J, Cornforth, CJ, Mallory, GR  (2004)  'What drives non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to internationalise?', 33rd Annual ARNOVA Conference, Los Angeles, USA. Abstract
Cornforth, CJ  (2003)  'Contextualising non-profit governance: the influence of contextual factors on board characteristics and paradoxes', 19th European Group for Organizational Studies (EGOS) Colloquium: Organization Analysis Informing Social and Global Development, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Cornforth, CJ, Mordaunt, J  (2003)  'What do boards do when things go wrong?', 32nd Annual ARNOVA Conference, Denver.
Cornforth, CJ, Mordaunt, J  (2002)  'Rising to the challenge or running for the door? The role of governing bodies in dealing with organizational crises', 31st Annual ARNOVA Conference, Montreal, Montreal: ARNOVA.
Cornforth, CJ  (2001)  'Understanding the governance of non-profit organizations: multiple perspectives and paradoxes', 30th Annual ARNOVA Conference, Miami.
Cornforth, CJ  (1999)  'Power relations between boards and senior managers in the governance of public and non-profit organisations', 2nd International Conference on Corporate Governance and Direction, Henley Management College, UK. Abstract
Edwards, C, Cornforth, CJ  (1997)  'Who governs? Managing the tension between the political and managerial role of boards', 2nd International Research Symposium of Public Service Management, Aston, UK.
Cornforth, CJ, Edwards, C  (1996)  'Organizational governance: does it travel across sectoral boundaries?', International Research Symposium on Public Services Management, Aston Business School, UK.
Cornforth, CJ, Thomas, A, Mayoux, L  (1996)  'Organizational tensions in international NGOs: towards a research agenda', Researching the UK Voluntary Sector Conference, London, UK.
Cornforth, CJ  (1990)  'Conceptions of management in voluntary and non-profit organizations', Conference of the Association of Voluntary Action Scholars, London School of Economics.
Other
Cornforth, CJ, Harrison, Y, Murray, V  (2010)  'What makes chairs of governing bodies effective?', Report prepared for the National Council for Voluntary Organisations and the Charity Trustee Network, Guildford, UK, The National Council for Voluntary Organisations and the Charity Trustee Network.
Cornforth, CJ, Mordaunt, J, Aiken, M  (2008)  'Learning from capacity building and lessons for other funders', West Malling, Kent, Charities Aid Foundation. Abstract
Spear, RG, Cornforth, CJ, Aiken, M  (2007)  'For Love and Money: Governance and Social Enterprise', UK, National Council for Voluntary Organisations. Abstract
Cornforth, CJ  (2007)  'Is corporate governance on trial?', issue 12/03/10, Blog for the BBC's The Money Programme.
Cattell, C, Cornforth, CJ, Deniston, H, Howarth, R, Mordaunt, J, Morrison, C, Otto, S, Wilcox, D  (2004)  'Development of an Integrated Governance Strategy for the Voluntary and Community Sector', Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK, Home Office Active Communities Unit. Abstract
Cornforth, CJ  (2001)  'Power Relations between Boards and Senior Managers in the Governance of Public and Non-profit Organizations', Open University Business School Working Paper, issue 01/02/10. Abstract
Cornforth, CJ, Edwards, C  (1998)  'Good Governance: developing effective board-management relations in public and voluntary organizations', London, UK, CIMA Publishing, pp. 80. Abstract
Cornforth, CJ  (1996)  'Governing Non-profit Organizations: heroic myths and human tales', Open University Business School Working Paper, issue 96/03.
Cornforth, CJ, Lewis, JM  (1987)  'Creating successful co-operatives business: a summary report', Milton Keynes, UK, Open University Co-Operatives Research Unit.