Abstract:
CORSO was a New Zealand organisation established in 1944, dedicated to the relief of
poverty overseas. It was the coordinating agency for many different national bodies; all of
whom shared the poverty relief vision and worked to ensure New Zealand’s contribution was
under one “umbrella”. Its primary vision for the relief of poverty attracted 50 member
organisations by 1967.
In examining CORSO’s decline from 1970, until its ‘functional death’ in 1991, the causes of
this decline provide a valuable illustration of the importance of political independence and
integrity for charitable organisations’ survival.
The data for this study is derived from primary and secondary sources including newspaper
articles, annual reports, correspondence and opinion surveys. This research also analyses
accounting data, evidencing a correlation of robust or deficient accounting processes
respectively with economic excellent or poor health. To this extent the accounting data
provides a ‘biomarker’
of organisational health.
Key to CORSO’s demise was a change in strategic direction brokered by governing members
which resulted in a philosophical shift unsupported by many of its core orthodox member
bodies, with ‘fatal’ consequences.
