Alternative frameworks for improving government organizational performance : a comparative analysis

184 Pages·3.8 MB·English

by  Simon, Cary A

NPS ARCHIVE
1997^ Q3
SIMON,
C.
NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL
MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA
THESIS
ALTERNATIVE FRAMEWORKS FOR
IMPROVING GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONAL
PERFORMANCE: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS
by
Cary A. Simon
March, 1997
Principal Advisor: Nancy C. Roberts
Thesis
S494525
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March 1997 Master's Thesis
TITLEANDSUBTITLE ALTERNATIVE FRAMEWORKSFORIMPROVING FUNDINGNUMBERS
GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONALPERFORMANCE:
ACOMPARATIVEANALYSIS
author(S) Simon, Cary A.
6.
PERFORMINGORGANIZATIONNAME(S)ANDADDRESS(ES) PERFORMING
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Naval Postgraduate School ORGANIZATION
Monterey CA 93943-5000 REPORTNUMBER
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11. SUPPLEMENTARYNOTES The views expressed in this thesis arethose ofthe author and do notreflectthe official
policy orposition ofthe Department ofDefense ortheU.S. Government.
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13. ABSTRACT (maximum 200words)
Complexgovernment bureaus andtheir managers struggling to adaptto major changes findthey are faced
with alternative frameworks to improve organizational performance. Six major frameworks emerging inthe U.S.
since 1980, applicable to the public sector, and designedto enhance organizational change toward improved
performance are reviewed and analyzed: Total Quality; "Excellence;" Reinvention, including the National
Performance Review; the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993; the Baldrige Award; and
Reengineering. The purpose ofthe thesis is to provide guidelines to assist public managers in organizational
m
changetoward improved performance by analyzing the frameworks based on four criteria: workable a
political, pluralistic environment; realistic given constraints; comprehensive from a systems perspective; and
capable ofproviding explicit measures oforganizational performance.
14. SUBJECTTERMS Government Organizations, Performance, Frameworks, Quality, 15. NUMBEROF
Excellence, Reinvention,NPR, GPRA-93, Baldrige, Reengineering PAGES 180
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Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
ALTERNATIVE FRAMEWORKS FOR IMPROVING
GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE:
A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS
Cary A. Simon
Lieutenant Commander, United States Navy
B.S., Houston Baptist University, 1974
M.B.A., Brenau University, 1991
Submitted in partial fulfillment
ofthe requirements for the degree of
MASTER OF SCIENCE IN MANAGEMENT
from the
NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL
March 1997
32f
f
IUDLEYKNOXliBKAK*
MAVAlPOSTGRADUATESttlUO
VIONTEREY CA 93943-5101
ABSTRACT
Complex government bureaus and their managers struggling to adapt to major
changes find they are faced with alternative frameworks to improve organizational
performance. Six major frameworks emerging in the U.S. since 1980, applicable to the
public sector, and designed to enhance organizational change toward improved
performance are reviewed and analyzed: Total Quality; "Excellence;" Reinvention,
including the National Performance Review; the Government Performance and Results
Act of 1993; the Baldrige Award; and Reengineering. The purpose of the thesis is to
provide guidelines to assist public managers in organizational change toward improved
performance by analyzing the frameworks based on four criteria: workable in a political,
pluralistic environment; realistic given constraints; comprehensive from a systems
perspective; and capable ofproviding explicit measures oforganizational performance.
VI
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
I. 1
THE RESEARCH PROBLEM AND PURPOSE
A.
1
B. STRUCTURE OF THE THESIS 4
C RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
9
n. REASONS WHY GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS HAVE DIFFICULTY
CHANGING
11
A PERSISTENCE OF MACHINE BUREAUCRACIES
12
1. Definitions and Historical Background 12
2. Structural Characteristics 16
3. System and Process Characteristics 20
4. Cultural Characteristics 26
B. DIFFICULTIES IN POLICY FORMULATION AND
IMPLEMENTATION.. 30
C DIFFICULTIES IN MEASURINGPERFORMANCE 40
1. Definitions 40
2. Characteristics Contributing to Lack ofPerformance Measures 44
ALTERNATIVE FRAMEWORKS FOR IMPROVING ORGANIZATIONAL
in.
PERFORMANCE
49
A TOTAL QUALITY FRAMEWORK
51
1. Background and Definitions 52
2. Deming's 14 Points 57
3. Elements According to Juran and Crosby 73
"EXCELLENCE" FRAMEWORK
B. 81
1. Background and Definitions 81
2. Elements According to Peters and Waterman 84
Vll
REINVENTION FRAMEWORK
C. 88
1. Background 88
2. Definitions and Elements 90
GOVERNMENT PERFORMANCE AND RESULTS ACT
D.
FRAMEWORK
98
1. Background and Purpose 98
2. Elements 101
THE BALDRIGE FRAMEWORK
E. 106
1. Background 106
2. Elements 109
REENGINEERINGFRAMEWORK
F. 114
1. Background and Definitions 114
2. Elements 117
IV. ANALYSIS OF SIX MAJOR FRAMEWORKS AND GUIDELINES
FORLEADERS AND MANAGERS
123
A. EXPLANATION OF THE FOUR CRITERIA 123
B ANALYSIS OF FRAMEWORKS BASED ON FOUR CRITERIA 126
1. Scoring System 126
2. Analysis ofExcellence Framework 129
3. Analysis ofReengineering Framework 131
4. Analysis ofthe Government Performance and Results Act
(GPRA) Framework 134
5. Analysis ofthe Reinvention Framework:
The National Performance Review 138
6. Analysis ofTotal Quality Framework 143
7. Analysis ofthe Baldrige Framework 147
vin