Abstract:
Hospices operating in the non-profit sector are experiencing organisational
sustainability pressures, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Notably,
while the population of patients who are terminally ill and requiring palliative care is
increasing, the resources required to render this noble service are depleting, so much so
that some hospices have closed. The situation raises profound organisational sustainability
concerns, and this serves as the motivation for this generic qualitative study to investigate
the propellers of organisational sustainability in South African-based hospices operating in
the non-profit sector. Data was collected through interviews with twelve senior managers
from different hospice organisations. The data was then analysed using Thematic
Content Analysis (TCA). Subsequent results reveal that a cocktail of factors, including
transparent communication, visionary leadership, a strategic disposition, improved service
quality, a strong corporate culture, a diversified revenue base and committed staff, propel
organisational sustainability among hospices. Conversely, the COVID-19 pandemicenforced
lockdowns and the rampant emergence of many NPOs impede the sustainability
prospects of the hospices. With these insights, this study contributes to the organisational
sustainability discourse from a uniquely South African perspective, given the dearth of
research in this area, particularly in the context of developing economies.
Description:
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS : The authors wish to extend their gratitude to
the non-profit hospices who contributed to the
research. This research was submitted in partial
fulfilment to meet the requirements for the
degree of Master of Philosophy at the University
of Pretoria, South Africa.
