AFP San Diego
Michael J. O’Leary Ethics Luncheon
Friday,  February 1, 2008
Sheraton San Diego Hotel, Mission Valley
1433 Camino Del Rio South, San Diego, 92108

Nonprofits, Ethics, and the Fundamental Attribution Error
Robert Donmoyer, Ph.D.

Today, nonprofit organizations, in general, and fundraising professionals, in particular, are under increased pressure to act ethically.  There are a number of reasons for this pressure; there also have been a variety of responses.  The responses include government regulation, self regulation by the profession, an increased emphasis on formal education in ethics, and an increased emphasis on more practice-based professional development programs, some of which are now online. 

The speaker will briefly review the reasons for the growing concern about ethics and also review some of the more common responses.  He will suggest that many of the responses may be helpful but that most seem to commit what social psychologists call the fundamental attribution error. That term refers to human beings’ tendency to blame people rather than organizational factors for problems and to focus on influencing people directly rather than on changing organizational structures and norms in the process of generating solutions.  The speaker will then describe an alterative approach to promoting ethical action developed by the Caster Family Center for Nonprofit Research. The approach focuses on assessing and modifying organizational culture rather than on the direct education of individuals.

( Speaker Bio )

Michael J. O’Leary, CFRE
April 17, 1949 – May 30, 1989

The Michael J. O’Leary Ethics Luncheon was established in 1989 by the San Diego Chapter to honor the memory of Michael. One of Mike’s primary contributions to the chapter came from his focus on raising the awareness of ethical practices and high standards for fund raising professionals. Mike loved his work and respected the non-profit sector’s mission…healing the sick, teaching the ignorant, sheltering the homeless, bringing joy and beauty through the arts…Mike thought helping in all  these ways to improve the world was the fund-raisers role. And he was proud of it.

Speaker Bio:

Dr. Robert Donmoyer currently is Professor of Leadership Studies and Co-director of the Caster Family Center for Nonprofit Research at the University of San Diego.  Prior to moving to San Diego in January 2000, Dr. Donmoyer worked for twenty years as a professor and administrator at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. Prior to leaving Ohio State, he served as the Director of the School of Educational Policy and Leadership.   

Dr. Donmoyer research has focused on the use of research and evaluation results in the making of policy and in practice-related decision making. He has been especially interested in how research, at times, can obscure value questions and inadvertently result in ethical issues not being given adequate consideration in decision making.  He has explored these themes in two books and numerous articles in scholarly journals. Currently, at USD, he teaches courses in Ethics and Leadership in both USD’s regular leadership studies masters and doctoral programs and in its Nonprofit Leadership and Management M.A. Program. He also oversees the Nonprofit and Philanthropic Studies concentration in USD’s Leadership Studies Ph.D. program.  

Dr. Donmoyer has served as a consultant and evaluator for a number of foundations including the Rockefeller Foundation, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, the Getty Center for Arts and Education, the Ball Foundation, and the Knowledge Works Foundation. He has been a consultant for nonprofit organizations ranging from the Children’s Defense Fund of Cincinnati, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the Ohio Arts Council. Dr. Donmoyer also has extensive experience advising members of the policy community.

Dr. Donmoyer received a Ph.D. in Education and an M.A. in Political Science from Stanford University.  He also holds a masters degree from the City College of New York.