EH.N: CfP: Business History, Special Edition on Not-for-profit Financial Institutions

[bbatiz64 at googlemail.com]

CALL FOR PAPERS
Business History, Special Edition on Not-for-profit Financial Institutions

This special issue of Business History will address financial 
institutions established and operated on a not-for-profit basis.  The 
term ‘not-for-profit financial institution’ (NFPFI) covers a wide range 
of organisations, for example: building societies; friendly societies; 
mutual or co-operative banks; savings banks; community banks; mutual 
insurers; buildings and loan associations; savings and loan 
associations; and credit unions.  Many NFPFIs sprung from philanthropic 
or charitable origins, reflecting particular economic or social aims; 
others adopted the form for commercial reasons later in their history. 
Yet others emerged from moves for self regulation, as well as the 
creation of jointly-owned technology platforms such as Link, Cirrus and 
Tarjeta 6000 in retail payments and Swift in wholesale, cross-border 
payments.

NFPFIs might be thought to be in tune with current times in which the 
interests of a broad range of stakeholder groups have been given more 
explicit recognition by many organisations.  On the other hand, although 
NFPFIs continue to be important in many countries, their significance 
has diminished in others in which they were previously more prominent. 
Many NFPFIs have merged together, mirroring consolidation among other 
financial institutions.  Some NFPFIs have converted to proprietary 
corporate form (for example, through the demutualisation of building 
societies and insurers in Australia and Britain), while some have failed 
(for example savings and loan associations in the US and the Equitable 
Life Assurance Company in the UK).

Papers are sought that offer theoretical innovations, and/or original 
empirical analysis relating to the long term development of NFPFIs.  We 
encourage contributions from a range of perspectives, to reflect the 
organisational and geographical diversity of NFPFIs.  Papers may be 
stand-alone or comparative. The following themes are suggested to 
indicate the breadth of possible topics:

•      the historical origins of NFPFIs;
•      their regulation/self-regulation, including the role of industry 
bodies/trade associations;
•      the long-term decline of NFPFIs in many countries and its impact 
- economic, social, competitive, etc.;
•      the governance of NFPFIs - failures and successes;
•      crisis/failure in NFPFIs;
•      commercial strategy of NFPFIs;
•      the relative performance of NFPFIs;
•      the adoption of, and problems, constraints and limitations 
arising from not-for-profit organisational form/structure;
•      NFPFIs and the ‘managerial revolution’;
•      innovation by NFPFIs in services, technology, marketing, 
organisation etc.;
•      the role of significant individuals in NFPFIs.

The special issue will be edited by Bernardo Bátiz-Lazo (University of 
Leicester) and Mark Billings (Nottingham University Business School) as 
guest editors, and John Wilson and Steve Toms as executive editors of 
the journal.  All articles will be between 6,000 and a maximum of 8,000 
words, including notes.

Proposals of between 1,500 and 3,000 words are invited and should be in 
the following format:

Title
Author(s), institution(s), contact details
Topic
Argument
Sources
Contribution

Notes: use single space, 6 pt after paragraph, New Times Roman, size 11. Please add any references as endnotes and keep them to a minimum.

Proposals should be sent to the following e-mail address: 
specialed_bh at lists.le.ac.uk

The timetable for the special issue is as follows:

November 2008        Issue Call for Papers
31 March 2009        Deadline for receipt of proposals
15 May 2009          Papers are commissioned
15 December 2009     Deadline for receipt of first draft manuscripts and 
sent to first round external refereeing
30 April 2010        Distribution of referees’ and editorial reports
June/July 2010       One-day workshop – date and venue to be confirmed
01 September 2010    Deadline for submission of second draft manuscripts
15 November 2010     Distribution of referees’ and editorial reports
31 January 2011      Deadline for submission of final revised manuscripts
early 2011           Publication  (volume 52)


Guidance Notes

1.      Articles should be based upon original research and/or 
innovative analysis.
2.      The main findings of the research and analysis should not have 
been published elsewhere.
3.      Proposals will be welcome from individuals or teams whose 
empirical research is already at an advanced stage.
4.      The editors expect articles to be theoretically informed and 
explicitly address novel interpretations of history.
5.      Authors who wish to implement social science or managerial 
instruments of analysis should consider how to adapt them to historical 
interpretation, explaining change over time rather than the description 
of static conditions.

Authors are strongly encouraged to attend the workshop. It is seen by 
the editors as a way to create greater cohesion. It will be attended by 
both guest and executive editors.