伴隨公民社會的發展與成熟，世界各國非營利組織的規模與產值不僅超越營利部門，在功能角色方面更已成為政府不可或缺的合作夥伴，儼然被稱為所謂「第三者政府」。約自1990年以來，各類民間自發性組織持續蓬勃發展，積極地擔負起彌補社會需求和公共服務落差的角色，自外於政府部門（第一部門）及私人企業（第二部門）等機構，成為以公益為先的「第三部門」(The Third Sector)，對於私人企業不願介入，而政府又力猶未逮的文化及社會等領域，非營利組織的參與恰可彌補此一缺口。
此外，在國家與社會互動架構下，公民對於攸關其福祉的「公共服務」（public service）自然會形成種種要求，除了責求政府「公正廉能」，以及提供更多元、更具品質及更符合正義的「公共服務」之外，甚至主動要求參與公共政策之「規劃、執行和評估」，這正也是國家民主化的落實。而非營利組織，因具備取私為公、去私存公的「公共性」特質，正好成為公民參與公共服務的最佳管道。因此，深入研究非營利組織課題，對學術研究與實務工作之發展，均極具意義與價值，亦可藉此為個人生涯發展開啟新頁。
為增進同學們對非營利組織管理理論與實務的認識，本課程內容涵蓋「導論（公民社會治理）、組織治理、理事會及組織環境、課責與治理網絡、多重利害關係人治理、治理的兩面、理論架構、當前挑戰、共享資源、民主治理與公民精神、社會管理與準經濟、社會企業與多元主義」等主題。

With the development and maturity of civil society, the scale and output value of non-profit organizations around the world have not only surpassed the for-profit sector, but have also become indispensable partners of the government in terms of functional roles, and are known as the so-called "third-party governments." Since about 1990, various non-governmental voluntary organizations have continued to flourish and actively assume the role of filling the gap between social needs and public services. They have externalized government departments (the first sector) and private enterprises (the second sector) and other institutions to become the "Third Sector" (The Third Sector) that puts public welfare first. For cultural and social fields where private enterprises are unwilling to intervene and the government is still unable to address it, the participation of non-profit organizations can fill this gap.
In addition, under the interactive framework between the state and society, citizens will naturally form various demands for "public services" that are related to their well-being. In addition to demanding that the government be "fair and honest" and provide more diversified, higher-quality and "public services" that are more consistent with justice, citizens even actively request to participate in the "planning, execution and evaluation" of public policies. This is also the implementation of national democratization. Non-profit organizations, because of their "public" nature of taking private things and making them public, and removing private things and keeping them public, have become the best channel for citizens to participate in public services. Therefore, in-depth research on the topic of non-profit organizations is of great significance and value to the development of academic research and practical work, and can also open a new page for personal career development.
In order to enhance students' understanding of the theory and practice of non-profit organization management, this course covers topics such as "Introduction (civil society governance), organizational governance, boards of directors and organizational environment, responsibilities and governance networks, multi-stakeholder governance, two sides of governance, theoretical framework, current challenges, shared resources, democratic governance and citizenship, social management and quasi-economy, social enterprise and pluralism".

Salamon, Lester M. (2003). The Resilient Sector: The State of Nonprofit America (Ch 2、3、5、6). Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press.
Eikenberry, Angela M., Roseanne M. Mirabella & Billie Sandberg (2019). Reframing Nonprofit Organizations: Democracy, Inclusion, and Social Change. Irvine, California: Melvin & Leigh, Publishers.

Salamon, Lester M. (2003). The Resilient Sector: The State of Nonprofit America (Ch 2, 3, 5, 6). Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press.
Eikenberry, Angela M., Roseanne M. Mirabella & Billie Sandberg (2019). Reframing Nonprofit Organizations: Democracy, Inclusion, and Social Change. Irvine, California: Melvin & Leigh, Publishers.