How to Prioritize Beneficence Actions by Charities and NGOs: a Systematic Review of the Research Literature

Prelude:

The information available in the world and in Iran shows that charitable actions have become a pervasive feature in public culture, but the lack of a model for prioritizing beneficence actions has made these actions less effective. Based on this, the current research aims to examine the models designed to prioritize other matters. This review may help to design a model for prioritizing beneficence actions. The research literature in Iran shows that some of these researches have designed models for prioritizing affairs, but they have not designed any model for prioritizing beneficence actions. Therefore, the main purpose of this research is systematic study of the researches that designed models for prioritization and the research question is: What possibilities has the existing research literature in Iran provided for the design of the model of prioritizing beneficence actions? Of course, we have faced limitations such as access to all research, and searching for other academic disciplines effective in model design.

The present research has used a systematic review method to study the research literature. The current research techniques are Close-in technique (concepts close to each other), and Far-out technique (concepts far from each other). These two are among the systematic approach techniques. Also, the technique of Flip-flop technique, which is one of the techniques of Grounded theory, has been used. The sample size is 167 cases from foreign and domestic research literature and the sampling method is purposeful. 20 cases of charities prioritization models have also been reviewed. The criteria for choosing these charities are defined indicators. Researches have been examined that have designed the pattern of prioritization. 

In the final stage of the systematic review of the experimental research literature, the following problems were extracted:· Some of the research literature lacks an interdisciplinary model. Meanwhile, other economic, cultural, social, and political indicators should be considered in order to prioritize matters. Therefore, to design the prioritization model, an interdisciplinary approach should be taken so that other dimensions are included in the model.·In some of the research's literature, the prioritization indicators are taken from other foreign researches and these indicators are not proportional to the local and domestic conditions of Iran. Therefore, to design a model for prioritizing beneficence actions in Iran, local indicators should be used.·In some research's literature, proportional methods have not been used to design each part of the model. In other words, the design of the prioritization model has different levels. Therefore, it is not possible to implement all these levels with one method. As a result, a variety of methods should be used to design a model for prioritizing beneficence actions.In the diagram below, we have categorized the patterns of prioritization by other researchers according to two criteria. These two criteria are: index- oriented, method- oriented.

Based on the chart above, the conducted researches can be divided into two general types, index- oriented and method- oriented. However, these divisions are only ideal types. Researches that are index-oriented have emphasized on the indicators for prioritizing matters and have not paid attention to the methods of evaluating and measuring the indicators and method-oriented researches have ignored the prioritization indicators and have focused only on the methods of prioritizing matters. According to the aforementioned findings, the methodological relationalism should be used in future research. This methodological approach emphasizes pluralism in contrast to methodological exclusivity. The second necessity is that future research should be based on the multiplicity of different academic disciplines. In other words, it is necessary that these researches use different expertise in the expert panel in the design of criteria for prioritizing matters. The third necessity is that indexing should be done according to local conditions. In other words, the scales and indicators of prioritization should be designed based on local conditions. Based on the current research question, the existing researches in Iran provide a picture of how to design prioritization models. The aim of the present research was to obtain the accumulated knowledge about the patterns of prioritization of affairs. And based on this goal, if the above-mentioned three necessities are considered in future research, useful models for prioritizing beneficence actions can be achieved.