ABSTRACT
In considering the value of strategic management to the voluntary nonprofit sector it is important to be clear exactly what the sector is (if indeed it is a sector) and how homogenous or diverse the sector is and therefore the extent that different management approaches are required for different parts of the sector. The extent that it is the same as or different from the private sector will also give an indication of whether the voluntary nonprofit sector requires different management approaches from the private sector. This chapter therefore attempts to define the nature and scope of the voluntary nonprofit sector. In particular the attributes that have been put forward to distinguish the voluntary nonprofit sector from both the public sector and, more particularly, the private sector will be investigated. How organizations within the voluntary nonprofit sector can be categorized will also be explored.
