class 11: assessing organizations uta ssw, socw 5306 generalist macro practice professor dick...
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Class 11: Assessing Organizations
UTA SSW, SOCW 5306Generalist Macro Practice
Professor Dick SchoechCopyright 2005 (permission required before use
Suggest printing slides for class using: Print | Handouts | 3 slides per page | grayscale options
Summary of Classes 1-11 Generalist macro practice history, change
process, roles, levels of intervention Theories, values, perspectives The community as client Conditions as problems/opportunities Assessing social conditions/communities Intervening in social conditions The organization as client Administration overview
Assessing organizations §
Today’s class: Assessing Via
Purpose: Mission, vision, goals and objectives
Capital management Financial management Information management Personnel management (next week) §
Ways to View Purpose
Economic-profit not for profit, 501(c)(3) Well defined ill defined
Few coordinated multiple conflicting
Stress high accountability stress low accountability
Stress high effectiveness stress low effectiveness
Stress high efficiency stress low efficiency §
Purpose Expressed by Mission (KMM p94; Brue
p268)
The purpose for being or identity Encapsulates the program’s overall effort Easy for public to understand Grounded in “customer” needs Grounded in client outcomes Grounded in definition of quality services Renewed periodically Drug treatment agency example: To promote and support
the achievement of a positive and productive lifestyle for those formerly addicted to chemical substances. KMM p. 95. §
Purpose as Expressed by Vision
What the program wants to become or destiny What agency would be if resources plentiful Shows key problems/issues to address Where the program hopes to be in 15 years §
Purpose Expressed in Goals
Describe future outcomes or states of being
Are not measurable or achievable Focus on outcomes and impacts Should be ambitious and idealistic §
Purpose Expressed in Objectives
Action statements Clear, specific and concrete Measurable Time limited Realistic Hierarchical (ultimate, intermediate,
immediate) Build on strengths and reduce need Focus on outcome or process §
Outcome Objectives
Specifies results or ends to be achieved Use words like: to reduce, to lower, to
improve Focus on client change needed to reduce
need Contain an “as measured by” statement Provide details for evaluationExample: To lower the number of high school students becoming
pregnant in Arlington from 25 per 1000 to 20 per 1000 by 12/1/02 as measured by health department records. §
Writing Outcome Objectives
Components of Obj Direction of change What will be changed Target of change Results to be achieved How measured Time frame
Objective To increase parenting knowledge in 30 teenage parents by 10% as measured by the Baby
Index by 12/1/03
Process objectives
Specifies how things will be done, e.g., the means or processes involved
Use words like: to provide, to serve, to assess, to train
Provide details for monitoring Can be immediate, intermediate or ultimateExample: To provide 2 hours of peer counseling to 525 high-risk
females high school students by Dec 03 as documented by AISD peer counselor records.Use objective practice worksheet in course pack §
Writing Process Objectives
Component of Obj
Action taken
Object of action taken
Recipient of action
How measured
When accomplished
Objective To provide 3 hours of parenting classes To 100 teenagers identified
as high risk As measured by school
records By 1/1/03 §
Levels of objectives
Ultimate outcome objective Intermediate outcome objective
Immediate outcome objective
Ultimate process objective Intermediate process objective
Immediate outcome objective Activities
See course pack: Writing goals and objectives
Examples of objectives
Issues Hard to understand total program from
objectives Objectives do not say who is responsible Hard to tell level in hierarchy Make sure objectives reflect program
description Good objectives makes the evaluation easy
Capital management
Facilities management M&O mangement (supplies) Typically not a big concern in the
human services Personnel bias, when agencies get
into buildings, they are on their way down §
Overview of Financial Management
Financial management Non-profit accounting Budgeting Financial reporting
Funding raising
Financial Mana Assumptions
Not a major contingency (people, task, structure, tech, goals)
A tool/resource to support mission (treat same as computer, office, people)
Diversity of funding sources is required One of the best managed resources
(compared to people, information)
Basic Terms Accounting = Standard tools and procedures to
handle money Budgeting = techniques/processes to track income,
expenditures & balances Budget period = That period which the budget covers,
fiscal year, calendar year Direct costs = requires new $s, e.g., salary & equip Indirect cost = overhead (electricity, bookkeeping) Match (hard $) vs. In-kind (soft e.g. volunteer hrs) Costing out, e.g., unit costs Cash flow and debt management Capital expenditures = money for equip & buildings
Non-profit Accounting--bookkeeping methods Cash method
credit, debit or encumber as $s exchanged Accrual method
record when transactions occur, accumulate debt and credit
Modified cash/accrual method record revenue on cash basis, expenditures on
an accrual basis
Non-profit Accounting -- bookkeeping Accounts
the categories/funds $s are charged or credited to
Chart of accounts standard list of accounting codes, usually based
on items in the budget Journals
list of entries recorded as they occur, e.g., accounts receivable, accounts payable, payroll
Ledgers list debit and credit column for each account
Budget type: line item
Definition = cost by itemPg 88 of CS& is a good example to use for grant
Advantages Easy to understandDisadvantages Focuses attention on input &
throughput vs. outcomes
Budget type: program
Def = costs out by each program
Advantages Relates resources to programs Focus on programs & output Helps planning and evaluation
Disadvantages Must cost out everything by program Time and complexity
Budget type: performance/functional
Def = cost out outcome objectivesAdvantages Easy to understand outcomes focuses on outputDisadvantages Requires cost per unit of service Requires calculating indirect costs
Budgeting Techniques
Cost Benefit analysis Translates outcomes into economic benefits
Cost effectiveness analysis Focuses on cost-efficiency
Break even analysis Focuses on when you stop loosing money
Zero-based = levels from 0+ Links planning, budgeting, and evaluation Challenges basic service assumptions Time consuming Focuses attention on costs vs. outcomes Destructive to staff morale: threatens jobs
Financial reporting (C&S p 88)
Statements (periodic summary) Income, expenditures, balance Changes in fund balance
Audits (using approved procedures) Annual reports
Implications for grant
Always budget total costs Always show donated column Budget justification is very important
Include all items Address potential issues
Be clear on budget period Hire accordingly, 10 months vs. year
Conclusions
Financial management should be Proactive vs. Reactive Planning vs. Control Outcome vs. Input
Use good software, NP accounting, fundraising
Use board & committees for expertise/ oversight
Information management overview
Information/technology as a basic resource
Information Systems/data warehouses Development Process Managing Information Systems Issues Guidelines for success Tasks for future §
Information Systems An information system is an collection of
people, procedures and equipment working together to collect, manipulate, retrieve, and report data.
In today's world, almost all information system are computer-based and some are enhanced to operate over the Internet.
A key issue in information systems is data security and protecting client privacy.
Information System Components
Data Collection Data Processing Data Reporting Data Security and Privacy
Information Management Terms Database vs. Database Mana System
Database=a collection of data (records in fiscal, client, services, and staff files) with minimal redundancy and easy manipulation and access.
DBMS=software to manage a database (MS-ACCESS)
Computer vs. Information System MIS=system of people, procedures, and
equipment for collecting, manipulating, retrieving, and communicating information
ASP, Internet, Intranets, extranets §
Information/technology as basic resource
Treat as any other basic resource, e.g., $s, people, etc. One of easiest resources to change & manage
As compared to people, task, goals, structure Management more difficult
If resource is shared across departments & outside agency
Information resource is easily sabotaged by workers
garbage in—garbage out Computers add power to information management, but errors can
be bigger and more disastrous Technology keeps changing requiring constant attention §
Examples
Policy & community (meetup) Management (networked IS) Direct practice support (YFT) Client self help (fearfighter)
8 Step Development Process
1. Assess Preparedness & Feasibility
2. Analyze Existing System
3. Conceptual Design4. Detailed Design & Development
5. System Testing & Agency Preparation
6. Convert from old to new system7. Evaluation
8. Operation, maintenance & modification
Guidelines for Success IT needs separate high level dept Planning with stakeholders is essential Centralize control, distribute power Avoid relying on small # technicians 10/40/50 rule and 80/20 rule Design for privacy/security/accessibility Use continuous improvement mechanisms Expect frustrating and time consuming (2-3
years for basic system §
Conclusion
Key to all types of management Planning Continuous quality improvement Treat people with dignity and respect Give authority with responsibility Empower rather than accumulate power
§