Centre for Not-for-profit and Public-sector Research
About Us
Centre Director: Professor Noel Hyndman
The Centre for Not-for-profit and Public-sector Research (CNPR) is an interdisciplinary research centre based at Queen’s Management School, Belfast. It aims to promote research into issues relating to public-sector and not-for-profit organisations (such as charities, credit unions and social-enterprise agencies). It focuses on three main themes: accountability in the charity and public sectors; financial institutions; and managing in the charity and public sectors. The Centre brings together academic staff, graduate students and industry experts researching and practising in the area from across the university and elsewhere.
The overall aim of the Centre is to build and co-ordinate academic and sector expertise that will allow the examination, analysis and evaluation of not-for profit and public-sector organisations in order to promote understanding, good management practices and evidence-based policy development and debate. As such it will provide a foundation for thought leadership. This will be reflected in the positive effects of the Centre outside academia, particularly on civil society and on government.
Latest Events
Latest Event
CNPR Conference Call September 2019
3/09/2019 - 4/09/2019 @ 9:00AM - 5:00PM
Queen's Management School, Riddel Hall, Belfast
Latest Event
Centre for Not-for-profit and Public-sector Research, Queen’s Management School, Doctoral Colloquium
18/06/2019 - 19/06/2019 @ 7:00PM - 5:00PM
Queen’s Management School, Riddel Hall, 185 Stranmillis Road
Previous Events
View allProject Engagement
View all
Declan French, Donal McKillop & Elaine Stewart
Money Matters, 2018
The study assesses whether smartphone apps can be utilised to improve financially capable behaviours. Four smartphone apps, packaged together under the title ‘Money Matters’, were provided to working-age members (16–65 years) of the largest credit union in Northern Ireland (Derry Credit Union). The smartphone apps consisted of a loan interest comparison app, an expenditure comparison app, a cash calendar app, and a debt management app. The assessment methodology used was a Randomised Control Trial (RCT) with the U.K. Financial Capability Outcome Frameworks used to set the context for the assessment. For those receiving the apps (the treatment group) statistically significant improvements were found in a number of measures designed to gauge ‘financial knowledge, understanding and basic skills’ and ‘attitudes and motivations’. These improvements translated into better financially capable behaviours; those receiving the apps were more likely to keep track of their income and expenditure and proved to be more resilient when faced with a financial shock.
Noel Hyndman and Mariannunziata Liguori
ICAS, 2015
This research considers how accounting change in central government, in both Westminster and Scotland, has been argued for and implemented over the last 35 years. It demonstrates the need for accounting change to be seen as both rational and promoted by those in authority if it is to be successfully embedded in an organisation. Anything less is likely to just lead to cosmetic changes. Changes tend to occur by layering the new on the old, and criticism or proposed abandonment of valued existing techniques will likely hamper the implementation of new techniques. The research also highlights the differences between Scotland and Westminster, with the suggestion that embedding of change may be more difficult in Scotland and concludes with implications for policy makers when introducing and managing accounting change.
<Click here to access the Central Government Accounting report for free>
Ciaran Connolly and Tony Wall
ICAS, 2013.
This report investigates, through a survey and interviews, the implementation of IFRS in the central government departments of the three devolved administrations of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. It seeks to examine the impact of reporting under IFRS, the merits and drawbacks of adopting IFRS, the impact on policy and decision-making and identifies lessons to be learnt for the future.
<Click here to access the Implementation of IFRS in the UK Devolved Administrations report for free>