Implementing CAF in public administration: Best practices in Europe – obstacles and challenges

Analysis of the interrelationships between enablers and results in King Abdullah II award for excellence model

Purpose

This study aims to validate the KAIIAE model in the public sector and analyse the interrelationships between Enablers and Results in the King Abdullah II Award for Excellence (KAIIAE) model to better understand the dynamic logic behind improving excellence results.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology used is structural equation modelling (partial least squares technique), and the data were obtained from the assessment processes for the KAIIAE for 98 Jordanian public organisations.

Findings

The findings showed that the award model has proven to be a reliable and valid framework, as the criteria and sub-criteria were highly correlated. The set of Enablers was strongly related to the set of Results, and the synergies between the critical criteria confirmed the importance of leadership, strategy, and processes for the organisation's excellence results. It was found that the new significant and direct relationships between “People” and “People Results” and between “Partnerships and Resources” and both “Society Results” and “Key Results” improved the understanding and implementation of the model. There was a significant interrelationship between model criteria, excluding the relationship between “Society Results” and “Key Results”, since the government's main objective is to serve society. A new structural model for the KAIIAE with the new relationships was suggested.

Research limitations/implications

This paper concentrated only on the public sector, although the excellence model has been implemented in the private sector. Features of the different types of organisations were not tested. Furthermore, the variations in size, covered fields, number of employees and provided services need to be investigated further.

Practical implications

Government award bodies can use these research findings to develop a new model version for public sector awards by combining a cohesive array of elements for any government organisational need or application. The study suggested adding new criteria or relationships or eliminating those that are not significant and have no impact on public sector organisations. The findings will assure the organisations' managers that the KAII excellence model criteria are highly correlated and synergised for public sector organisations. These criteria perform efficiently once they are considered and implemented in an interconnected manner rather than managing them independently, which makes up their management framework. This knowledge about the validity of the structure of the model allows public sector organisations to benefit fully from the self-assessment processes and improve the organisation's management, enhancing their faith in excellence award models.

Social implications

This study has contributed to the existing literature on the reliability and validity of business excellence models as a framework for implementing, evaluating, and improving excellence, particularly in the government sector. Several important insights have emerged from this study. The relevant analysis supports a new model structure for excellence in the public sector. Among the model structure relationships, the study identified the existence of new direct relationships between enablers and results. New significant and direct relationships are added to the model that advances the implementation and understanding of the model. Moreover, it informs theory about Excellence Award implementation in developing countries within the context of Jordan – a topic that has previously received limited attention in the international business excellence literature. Since there is limited research on the suitability of implementing the KAIIEA excellence model (that is based on nine criteria of the EFQM model) in public organisations, this work suggested introducing a new modification to the model to suit the characteristics of the public sector.

Originality/value

The considerable prominence of the government sector has drawn attention to the excellence parameters within its organisations. Hence, a lack of studies and inadequate knowledge in the governmental management system have limited testing excellence in the public sector. This paper provides support that the excellence model (KAIIAE model that is EFQM based) is an appropriate framework by identifying direct and significant model interrelationships for the public sector based on the actual and sufficient performance of its entities so as to drive the changes of the next model generation. This is the first study that attempts to comprehend and describe the validation of the KAIIAE model in the public sector.

Strategic Orientation and Effects of E-Administration: Findings from the Miles and Snow Framework

Much has been written about the strategic orientation of public administration organizations (prospecting, defending, reacting, and analyzing) and their consequences for organizational effects, but little is dedicated to e-administration. Is the provision of services using IT affecting the adoption of strategic orientation and its effects? The paper is dealing with e-administration issues, specifically in terms of the impact of the Miles and Snow strategic orientation on e-administration effects. To measure e-administration effects, the author’s personal tool using the Common Assessment Framework (CAF) criterion has been proposed. The data collection was conducted using the Computer-Assisted Web Interview (CAWI) method, in the period from November 2017 to January 2018. Two hundred and twenty-six Polish organizations took part in the study. The objective of this study, i.e., assessing the impact of strategic orientation and e-administration effects, was achieved by using the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) method. It is indicated that the Defender orientation is positively associated with the effects of e-administration.

Measuring internal service quality: the case of the Greek public higher education institutions

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the idea of internal service quality in public organizations. An attempt is made to determine the key elements that define the concept of internal service quality and to identify the factors that support the attainment of high levels of internal quality. Internal service quality refers to the quality of services offered between units and/or employees within an organization and achieving internal quality in public authorities can contribute to the sustainability of the public sector.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was conducted among administrative staff of the publicly owned Greek Higher Education Institutions. The research instrument uses a three-level approach on internal service quality: individual, departmental and organizational. The model was tested using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis.

Findings

Findings reveal a five-factor structure of internal service quality by adding the factors of interdepartmental quality and the human aspect of internal service provision. Analysis of the data suggests that internal service quality is dependent on the level of responsibility of the respondent’s job.

Research limitations/implications

There is evidence that the individual internal service quality factor needs to be enhanced with more items. In addition, in order to gain generalizable results, further research should be conducted in various types of public organizations.

Originality/value

This study examines a questionnaire that evaluates internal service quality and proposes a basic five-factor model for estimating this type of service quality. It also triggers the use of internal service quality theory within public sector organizations.

Factors of Trust in Immediate Leaders: An Empirical Study in Police Service Environment

The study has two objectives-first, to examine the dimensionality of police service employees' job satisfaction and their assessment of the enablers from the Common Assessment Framework, analyzing these facets at different organizational levels, and second, to identify the impact of selected facets of job satisfaction on trust in one's immediate leader. The study is based on a comprehensive on-line questionnaire where 1209 responses from police service employees were acquired, and for the data analysis, factor analysis was first used to formulate the factors of job satisfaction facets and of the Common Assessment Framework enablers. Second, structural equation modelling was performed to identify the correlations of the studied variables. The Common Assessment Framework enabler Strategy/Leadership was significantly correlated with the enabler Processes and had an indirect impact on Trust through direct impacts on Leadership style in the organizational unit and Autonomy/Tasks. Both of the latter determinants had a significant influence on Trust in one's immediate leader. The confirmed the impact of determinants from different hierarchical levels indicates the importance of efforts by managers at all organizational levels should the police management intend to achieve and maintain high levels of trust in one's immediate leader in police service work environment.

Developing a strategic performance scoring system for healthcare nonprofit organisations

Purpose

Using the BSC as the starting point, the purpose of this paper is to present a theory on nonprofit performance management and describes how an overall performance index (OPI) was empirically developed to assess the strategic performance of a nonprofit organisation (NPO).

Design/methodology/approach

A conceptual model was developed from the literature. This was refined into a testable theoretical model using case studies. Thereafter, the theoretical model and an accompanying measurement model on OPI were validated using quantitative data (n=223) collected from a sample of healthcare NPOs in Australasia.

Findings

The measurement model was found to be a good fit to data. The model parameters (weights) pertaining to the OPI represent six PM dimensions (Mission; Strategy; Organisational Capabilities, Infrastructure and People Development; Financial Health; Processes; and Stakeholder Satisfaction) and 13 sub-dimensions. These parameters provide a tenable scoring system to assess the strategic performance of a NPO.

Research limitations/implications

The parameters (hence the scoring system) were estimated from data collected from a particular sector (healthcare) and a region (Australasia).

Practical implications

The findings can be used for comparative benchmarking (e.g. by managers and major donors) of NPOs, better governance and to initiate major performance improvement initiatives.

Originality/value

This study is the first empirical study that has been undertaken to develop an OPI for NPOs. The findings can be readily used by the practitioners.

Effects of total quality management in local authorities

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to determine the main total quality management (TQM) factors adopted and the respective results achieved by local authorities – municipalities. Determining the degree to which TQM influences the respective results is also an aim of the present study.

Design/methodology/approach

A research study was designed to be carried out in Greek local authorities – municipalities, 125 of which were approached through interviews with chief executive officers (CEOs) based on a structured questionnaire. The TQM practices and results identified in the literature were used as measured variables of the questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and linear regression analyses were applied for the purpose of the study.

Findings

The TQM philosophy is not highly adopted by the Greek local authorities participating in the present study. Moreover, the Greek local authorities do not seem to derive significant TQM benefits. Finally, adopting TQM strongly and positively influences, first, operational and quality performance of the local authorities; second, citizen satisfaction and society results; and third, employee satisfaction.

Research limitations/implications

Subjective data were collected from the CEOs of a small sample of local authorities operating in a European Union country, under circumstances of financial crisis. Based on these limitations, future research studies are recommended.

Practical implications

Areas for improvement are identified for a local authority to develop a robust TQM model, approach business excellence and derive significant benefits.

Originality/value

This is the first research study in the field of TQM to be conducted at city-level administration in Greece.

The leadership criterion: challenges in pursuing excellence in the Jordanian public sector

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore the challenges that face leaders when implementing business excellence programmes in the Jordanian public sector.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study adopted a content analysis approach to analyse the excellence assessment reports that have been produced by the King Abdullah II Centre for Excellence. The sample comprises ten public organisations which have participated in the King Abdullah Award for Excellence more than once and acknowledge in their reports that they have failed to achieve satisfactory results.

Findings

– The key challenges to effect the implementation of leadership criteria in the public sector in Jordan were found to be poor strategic planning, lack of employee empowerment, weaknesses in benchmarking performance, and a lack of financial resources, poor integration and coordination, and poor measurement system.

Practical implications

– This study proposes a conceptual model for the assessment of challenges that face managers when seeking to implement excellence in leadership in the Jordanian public sector.

Originality/value

– Leadership challenges in the public sector are generally widely studied, but it is important to gain a better understanding of how these challenges can be overcome. In comparison to many existing studies, this research has provided specific and detailed insights these organisational excellence challenges in the public sector and provides a conceptual model for use by other researchers into the future.