Lost in Decision-Making: The Nonprofit Sector's Battle with Decision Paralysis

This thesis focuses on the issue of donor decision-making in the non-profit sector and the factors that may influence their willingness to contribute. It draws on theoretical approaches dealing with decision paralysis and the role of emotions in the decision-making process and applies them to the area of donor behavior, which has been explored only marginally in the existing literature. The theoretical part of the thesis defines decision paralysis and related concepts and places them in the context of the functioning of non-governmental non-profit organizations. Special attention is paid to the importance of emotions and affect in altruistic behavior. The empirical part of the thesis is based on quantitative research conducted through an online questionnaire survey with experimental elements. Respondents decided on the distribution of a sum of money among the presented non-profit organizations, with selected characteristics of the offer being systematically varied. The results of the research suggest that the sheer number of options offered may not play a key role in donor decision-making, while the method of communication can have a significant impact on willingness to contribute. The thesis contributes to a better understanding of decision-making processes in the non-profit sector and offers general...