NCJ Number
50608
Date Published
1975
Length
6 pages
Annotation
THE SYSTEMS APPROACH TO EVALUATION, INVOLVING KEY FACTOR ANALYSIS, IS EXAMINED FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF SERVICE ADMINISTRATORS.
Abstract
KEY FACTORS ANALYSIS IS A SYSTEMS TECHNIQUE THAT SHIFTS THE FOCUS OF ATTENTION AWAY FROM DETAILS TO A PERCEPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH PERSONS LIVE AND OPERATE. IT DOES THIS TO BRING INTO THE OPEN UNDETECTED RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN ORGANIZATIONS AND VALUE SYSTEMS. KEY FACTOR ANALYSIS IS A SYNTHESIS OF GENERAL SYSTEMS THEORY, BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES, AND BUSINESS-ORIENTED DISCIPLINES. USING THIS FORM OF ANALYSIS, IT IS POSSIBLE TO ACCOUNT FOR EFFECTIVENESS, EFFICIENCY, AND OVERALL PERFORMANCE ASPECTS OF AN ORGANIZATION. THE RESULTS ARE EXPRESSED IN TERMS OF BENEFITS THAT ACCRUE TO CLIENTS AND THE COMMUNITY. IN CONSIDERING VARIOUS STEPS INVOLVED IN KEY FACTOR ANALYSIS, PLANNING, IMPLEMENTATION, AND EVALUATION SHOULD BE VIEWED AS AN INTEGRATED PART OF A HOLISTIC PHILOSOPHY OF MANAGEMENT. THESE STEPS INVOLVE DEFINING THE PURPOSE OF AN ORGANIZATION, DEFINING OBJECTIVES, GROUPING OBJECTIVES USING THE SINGLE CRITERION OF CONCURRENT ACCOMPLISHMENT, BUILDING INFORMATION SYSTEMS, AND INTRODUCING GOALS. RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN EVALUATION SECTIONS AND MANAGEMENT GROUPS USING KEY FACTOR ANALYSIS ARE CRUCIAL. OUTCOME STUDIES INVOLVE ACTIVITIES CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH PROGRAM EVALUATION AND ARE CONCERNED WITH THE RESULTS OF INTERVENTION IN ORGANIZATIONAL ARRANGEMENTS. THE SCOPE OF EVALUATION EFFORTS, WHERE EVALUATION IS PLACED WITHIN AN ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT, ENCOMPASSES THE POPULATION TO BE SERVED, CLIENTELE, THE ORGANIZATION ITSELF, AND ARTICULATION. (DEP)