What is in a theme? Professionalization in nonprofit and nongovernmental organizations research

Abstract

This study examines 1,418 articles in three leading journals in the field of nonprofit organization studies from 1990 to 2010. Using topic modeling to detect dominant themes, we were able to trace the development of the academic research on nonprofit and nongovernmental organizations over two decades. We found remarkable changes with regard to an increasing use of professional, managerialist terminology such as that used in for‐profit organizations. This is significant given the potential of the research agenda to influence developments in the nonprofit sector.