Literature review of program evaluation and quality performance measurement

Quality Performance Measurement

Public Evaluation Program

In this paper, we are going to be conducting a literature review of public evaluation programs. During the process, there is a focus on misunderstanding the needs of stakeholders and the programs / reforms. Together, these elements will illustrate the overall scope of what is taking place and the long-term effects it is having on everyone.

Misunderstanding the Needs of the Public

One of the biggest challenges with any public performance evaluation is the misuse of data. This is problematic, as officials believe they are effectively delivering a variety of services for a fraction of the costs. Yet, in reality, the lack of competition invites bloated salaries and inefficiency. Administrators will try to correct the situation, through looking at a variety of sources to understand what is happen. They are unable, to gain greater insights, as politics and changing attitudes influence the outcome of the voters. This is when different policies can go from one extreme to the next. (Stipack, 1979)

According to Stipack (1979), the public is demanding lower taxes and wants greater amounts of services. The challenge is delivering effective solutions that will take into account the needs of various groups of stakeholders. In a number of situations, those who have the most influence and clout will be effective in shaping them. They will benefit from the status quo and any changes which are enacted. (Stipack, 1979)

Over the course of time, these kinds of situations, causes many of the voters to become frustrated from the inability of government officials to meet these guidelines. Once this happens, is the point, the situation will become worse. This is from the inability of administrators to evaluate the effectiveness of different programs, implement workable models and not fully understanding the needs of general public. (Stipack, 1979)

These insights are showing how evaluation programs can be influenced by political forces. This is troubling, as it means administrators will not understand what is most important to stakeholders and how to address the needs. Stipack's ideas are illustrating one the root causes, as to why these programs are unsuccessful. (Stipack, 1979)

Public Programs and Reforms

Detroit is the classic example of how various programs require the support of the general public. This is achieved through having them participate on different levels. For instance, Cheezum (2013) found that the lack of an effective quality performance measurement system will lead to challenges with various services. This hurts the economic viability of the government based upon realizing higher costs and being unable to increase taxes. These challenges create a situation where progressive individuals and large employers will relocate to other areas. Their inability to understand and address these needs continues until the situation becomes so bad. The fiscal sustainability of the government is brought into question. (Cheezum, 2013)

To address these issues, Cheezum (2013) determined that the government must work with members of the community in delivering services. This is achieved by listening to and understanding the needs of everyone. Then, implementing programs that will focus on these issues and having them participating to improve their neighborhood. (Cheezum, 2013)

For example, in this study, Cheezum determined that these programs can be effective in dealing with the root causes of problems. The most notable is with crime reduction efforts. In Detroit, this was often cited as one of the critical factors which is driving hardworking people out and inviting in criminal elements. During the last year, a new approach was enacted by the Detroit Community -- Academic Urban Research Center. They worked with communities to actively participate in programs such as: neighborhood watches, restoration and beautification projects in conjunction with officials. The result is that these programs were more effective and the costs declined dramatically from embracing this approach. (Cheezum, 2013)

These ideas can be used as a blueprint to determine how to evaluate public programs by including various groups of stakeholders in the process. They can offer their time and efforts to improve the communities they live in. This is when the quality of performance measures is enhanced through representing all segments of society. The figures from the program in Detroit; are showing that costs decrease and the quality improved utilizing this approach. A similar impact will occur in those areas where this takes place. However, it is imperative for administrators to maintain objectivity and not become caught up in the moment. This information is addressing how to solve the challenges public officials face when they are evaluating the needs of stakeholders. (Cheezum, 2013)

In many cases, public reforms must occur by dealing with other challenges which can contribute directly to an increase in costs. The most notable include: the large bureaucracy, high taxes and established culture. These factors make the government unresponsive to the needs of the general public. Over the course of time, these issues will create a disconnect between government officials and stakeholders. (Rondileni, 2003)

To address these challenges programs must become flexible and often working in conjunction with nonprofits / the private sectors to address key issues. According to Rondileni (2003), this type of program can be integrated with traditional and alternative performance measurement standards such as: analyzing the raw data (i.e. standard of living / quality of life), the long-term changes in the community and intangible effects. This will offer a more objective understanding, as to if the program is working and the short / long-term effects. (Rondileni, 2003)

These insights are useful in confirming which performance measures are the most effective at analyzing quality. At the same time, it is showing which models are the capable of dealing with key challenges. This is supporting the findings from the previous sources by underscoring key trends and expanding upon them. Yet, it is also looking at other approaches and the impacts they can have to improve quality. (Rondileni, 2003)