ARE GOVERNMENT-FUNDED ADMINISTRATIVE EFFORTS IN AIDING THE HOMELESS MORE OR LESS EFFECTIVE THAN THOSE OF NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS?
Write a literature review of 15 relevant pieces of research (peer-reviewed sources) based on the following research question:
ARE GOVERNMENT-FUNDED ADMINISTRATIVE EFFORTS IN AIDING THE HOMELESS MORE OR LESS EFFECTIVE THAN THOSE OF NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS?
Most literature reviews should be able to answer questions such as:
1) Who are the main players/authors, and what have they concluded?
2) How did these scholars arrive at those conclusions? (Discuss which research design methods were used)
3) Did they arrive there logically and in a manner that is appropriate and acceptable to the research question? Why or why not?
Sample Answer
Literature Review: Effectiveness of Government vs. Nonprofit Administrative Efforts in Aiding the Homeless
This literature review examines fifteen peer-reviewed research articles that explore the effectiveness of government-funded administrative efforts compared to those of nonprofit organizations in aiding the homeless population. The review aims to identify key players, their conclusions, the methodologies employed, and the logical validity of their findings in relation to the research question: Are government-funded administrative efforts in aiding the homeless more or less effective than those of nonprofit organizations?
1. Key Players, Conclusions, and Methodologies:
Author(s) & Year | Title | Key Conclusion(s) | Research Design Method(s) | Logical Validity & Appropriateness |
---|---|---|---|---|
Poppendieck, J. (1998) | Sweet Charity?: Emergency Food and the End of Entitlement | Argues that reliance on charitable food systems (often nonprofits) masks systemic issues and fails to address the root causes of poverty and homelessness, suggesting a need for stronger government intervention and entitlement programs. | Critical analysis of historical trends, policy documents, and ethnographic observations of food pantries and soup kitchens. | Logically sound in its critique of the limitations of charity but doesn’t directly compare administrative effectiveness in service delivery. |
Wolch, J. R. (1996) | From Global to Local: The New Federal Policy and Homelessness in Los Angeles | Finds that federal funding cuts and shifts towards local implementation (often through nonprofits) led to fragmented and inadequate services for the homeless in Los Angeles, implying limitations in decentralized, non-governmental approaches without strong federal oversight and resources. | Case study analysis of policy changes and their impact on local service delivery, drawing on statistical data and qualitative interviews with service providers. | Relevant in highlighting the impact of government policy on the capacity of nonprofits but doesn’t d |