zombie organization

English

Noun

zombie organization (plural zombie organizations)

1. (business) A poorly-run, moribund, or outdated organization, especially one that cannot accomplish any meaningful goals.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.

2. 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.