Beschreibung:
<jats:sec><jats:title content-type="abstract-heading">Purpose</jats:title><jats:p>Alongside public agencies and private firms, non‐profit organizations (NPOs) play a vital role in the delivery of human services in a number of advanced nations. The purpose of this paper is to advance a theory of leadership to try to explain how NPOs can overcome the various forms of voluntary sector failure described by Salamon.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type="abstract-heading">Design/methodology/approach</jats:title><jats:p>Examines the conditions under which leadership style is likely to prevail and the influence they are likely to have on the direction of local government reform.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type="abstract-heading">Findings</jats:title><jats:p>Advances a theory of leadership to better understand this problem and its implications for public policy.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type="abstract-heading">Originality/value</jats:title><jats:p>Adds to existing literature by demonstrating that leadership can ameliorate some kinds of voluntary sector failure.</jats:p></jats:sec>