zombie organization

English

Noun

zombie organization (plural zombie organizations)

(business) A poorly-run, moribund, or outdated organization, especially one that cannot accomplish any meaningful goals.
- 1943, Sinclair Lewis, Gideon Planish, page 361:
  Actually, only sixteen of them were visibly operating, and if that fact got out, susceptible Generous Givers might think the DDD was a zombie organization, and quit giving.
- 2017, Gordon Vala-Webb, Building Smarter Organizations:
  But now these zombie organizations — and you likely work in one — operate in an increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) world.
- 2019, Michal Parizek, Negotiations in the World Trade Organization:
  The WTO will not dissolve in a series of spectacular events, dramatic conflicts and withdrawals. Instead, it will slowly die out, or turn into a "zombie” organization.
- 2020, Tara Brabazon, Tiffany Lyndall-Knight, Natalie Hills, The Creative PhD: Challenges, Opportunities, Reflection:
  Instead, the university is a husk, an empty vessel, a zombie organization.
- 2021, Kirk Bowman, Jon Wilcox, Reimagining Global Philanthropy:
  Even if there are low fundraising and administrative costs in a philanthropic venture, imagine what happens if the project never gets off the ground, closes down quickly, or exists in a zombie state (a zombie organization is one that is still registered and maintains its NGO status but does not function in any meaningful way) and never results in the long-term surfing lessons to underprivileged children.
- 2021, Maria Ivanova, The Untold Story of the World's Leading Environmental Institution, page 128:
  Scholars argue that if an "institution's secretariat does not attract talented staff, it is more likely to die" or become a "zombie organization."
- 2023, Marvin T. Chiles, The Struggle for Change:
  Within a few short years, RCAP had become a shell of itself, a zombie organization feasting on small federal and private funds to hold off death.
Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see zombie,‎ organization.; an organization of or about zombies.
- 2009, Alison Pullen, Carl Rhodes, Bits of Organization, page 186:
  The question as to what drives zombie organization has been fiercely debated.
- 2011, Matt Mogk, Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Zombies, page 270:
  Zombie organizations are notorious for launching and dying at lightning pace. But unlike zombies, dead zombie organizations don't rise again.

Usage notes

A zombie organization differs from a zombie business in that a zombie business is not financially viable, while a zombie organization can have sound financial health but does not accomplish much of anything. A zombie organization is usually propped up by subsidies or donations, or it declines into a zombie business.