Enhancing Organizational Performance

by Lusthaus, Charles; Adrien, Marie-Helene; Anderson, Gary; Carden, Fred; International Development Research Centre (Canada)

• ISBN13: 9780889368705
• ISBN10: 0889368708
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-02-01
• Publisher: Intl Development Research

Summary

Do you know if your organization is performing efficiently? If it isn't, do you know why? This guidebook presents an innovative and thoroughly tested model for organizational self-assessment. The tools and tips in Enhancing Organizational Performance go beyond measuring the impact of programs, products, and services. They integrate techniques of formative assessment, in which the assessment team becomes involved in helping its organization become more effective in meeting its goals. The tools and techniques are flexible, and the model can be adapted to any type or size of organization. Worksheets and hands-on exercises are included. The book will be of use to any organization that is initiating a process of self-assessment, internal change, or strategic planning. It will particularly appeal to heads and staff of research and non-profit organizations, university administrators, staff of research-granting agencies, and academics and professionals in organizational development and evaluation.

Table of Contents

Foreword	ix
Preface	xi
How to use this guide	xiii
Should You Conduct a Self-Assessment?	1	(16)
Why would you conduct a self-assessment?	1	(2)
Some typical reasons for conducting a self-assessment	2	(1)
Identifying the reasons	3	(1)
Are you ready?	3	(3)
Getting ready	5	(1)
Stop or go?	6	(1)
How long will it take?	6	(1)
Before you begin	7	(1)
Who will use the results?	7	(3)
Stakholders	8	(1)
Mapping the Stakeholders	9	(1)
Who should conduct the process?	10	(4)
Creating a team	11	(1)
Who will do what?	11	(1)
What does your team have? What does your team need?	12	(1)
Are there any other roles or responsibilities?	12	(1)
Building the team	13	(1)
What's the best way to manage the process?	14	(1)
What issues may arise at preplanning?	14	(2)
Have you forgotten anything?	16	(1)
Planning a Self-Assessment	17	(16)
What is the unit of analysis?	18	(1)
What are the main performance issues?	18	(2)
Identifying preformance	20	(1)
What are the right questions?	20	(2)
Three kinds of question	21	(1)
Prioritizing your set of questions	21	(1)
What are the indicators?	22	(3)
A few words of caution about indicators	23	(2)
Developing indicators	25	(1)
What are the best sources of data?	25	(1)
What methods will be used to collect data?	26	(6)
Selecting methodologies	31	(1)
Completing the self-assessment matrix	32	(1)
Have you forgotten anything?	32	(1)
Conducting a Self-Assessment	33	(12)
Planning for data collection	33	(1)
Collecting the data	34	(1)
Analyzing your data	35	(3)
Data sources and triangulation	36	(1)
Sorting the data	37	(1)
Basis for judgment	38	(1)
Communicating the results	38	(2)
Communicating during the process	39	(1)
Communicating after the process	39	(1)
Hints for conveying results	39	(1)
Writing a good report	40	(1)
What issues may arise at this stage?	40	(2)
How will the results be used?	42	(3)
Why results get shelved	43	(2)
Diagnosing the Performance of Your Organization	45	(40)
A framework for assessing organizational performance	45	(1)
Organizational performance	46	(6)
Effectiveness	47	(1)
Efficiency	48	(1)
Relevance	49	(1)
Financial viability	50	(1)
Analyzing organizational performance	51	(1)
External environment	52	(5)
Administrative and legal environment	53	(1)
Political environment	53	(1)
Sociocultural environment	54	(1)
Economic environment	54	(1)
Technological environment	55	(1)
Stakeholder environment	55	(1)
Understanding the organization's external environment	56	(1)
Organizational motivation	57	(4)
History	58	(1)
Mission: stated and perceived	58	(1)
Culture	59	(1)
Incentives	60	(1)
Determining organizational motivation	60	(1)
Organizational capacity	61	(24)
Strategic leadership	62	(4)
Human resources	66	(4)
Financial management	70	(2)
Infrastructure	72	(3)
Program management	75	(2)
Organizational processes	77	(3)
Interinstitutional linkages	80	(2)
Examining organizational capacity	82	(1)
Summarizing the performance issues	83	(2)
APPENDIX 1 - Tools for self-assessment	85	(8)
Tool 1. The five-easy-pieces model for a quick self-assessment	85	(1)
Tool 2. Stakeholder assessment	86	(2)
Tool 3. Performance-issues worksheet	88	(1)
Tool 4. Culture audit	89	(1)
Tool 5. Work breakdown	90	(2)
Tool 6. Person-day analysis	92	(1)
APPENDIX 2 - Tips for designing data-collection instruments	93	(20)
Tip 1. Group techniques	94	(5)
Tip 2. Interviews	99	(4)
Tip 3. Questionnaires	103	(9)
Tip 4. Basis for judgment	112	(1)
APPENDIX 3 - Sample questionnaires	113	(8)
Sample 1. Staff questionnaire	113	(4)
Sample 2. Donor questionnaire	117	(2)
Sample 3. Cover letter for donor questionnaire	119	(2)
APPENDIX 4 - Sample self-assessment exercises	121	(6)
Exercise A1. Who is XYZ? What are the strengths and weaknesses of our internal environment?	122	(2)
Exercise A2. Our external context	124	(1)
Exercise A3. Dreaming about the future	125	(1)
Exercise A4. Beginning to bridge the gaps	126	(1)
The authors	127	(1)
Contacting us	128