Table 4 - uploaded by Karol Olejniczak
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In order to face the challenge of effective organizational learning in our public policies, we need to address three pressing questions:
1. How does learning work in our public organizations?
2. What promising practices can we implement to advance learning in public organizations?
3. What changes in public management are required to combine learnin...
Context in source publication
Context 1
... than 70% of recorded feedback falls into the category of strategic knowledge, and a further quarter regards operational knowledge. The regularity of feedback inflow is poor (see : Table 4), with almost half of ob - served feedback falling into the low regularity category. Systems of indicators were by far the most regular source of feedback, while impulses obtained from within the ministry were mostly of an incidental and ad hoc nature. ...
Citations
... To succeed in creating a culture of learning would mean that employees have ceased to be afraid of making mistakes. Mistakes and failures would rather be treated as learning opportunities instead of being used as the mere basis for employee assessment (Olejniczak and Newcomer 2014). The information being thus obtained can also be utilised more effectively once involvement in the dialogue on performance with diverse stakeholders has increased and once space for data analysis and interpretation is created (Moynihan 2009). ...
The main goal of this article is to define the characteristics of and to evaluate the three selected models used to measure the performance of public administration bodies, with an emphasis placed on their application in different perspectives. The contemporary public administration institutions are obligated to increase their operating efficiency as well as the satisfaction of their stakeholders. This is precisely why they have been implementing diverse models, especially those already used for years in managing profit-oriented organisations. The models chosen for analysis are applied in public administration, making it possible to measure numerous indicators of both financial and nonfinancial nature. The research method adopted by the authors is a conceptual literature review performed using the resources of the Scopus, Springer, WoS, Emerald, and EBSCO databases. The items subject to analysis were the 3Es (i.e., economy, efficiency, effectiveness) and IOO (e.g., input, output, and outcome) models as well as the model included in the BSC (Balance Scorecard). The research has evidenced that each of the models has its strengths and limitations. The results thus obtained have led to a conclusion that the solution showing the highest potential in the area of the study is the performance measurement model proposed under the BSC; however, according to the authors, it still requires some fine-tuning to public administration’s operating conditions and organisational culture. The article also highlights the fundamental operationalisation problems related to the subject in question.
... These processes are associated with the idea of continuous improvement by identifying, implementing and institutionalizing ongoing improvements in the organization (Swart and Kinnie, 2010). This is particularly helpful in public organizations because they have been pressured to learn and improve continuously its processes and services (Hartley, 2008) to increase their value for society (Hartley and Skelcher, 2008;Olejniczak, 2014). ...
This review analyzes the results of empirical studies on organizational learning (OL) in public organizations. We used integrative review method to research two international databases. By applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, twelve publications were selected for analysis. The results indicated that OL in public organizations is a relatively recent topic and little explored in empirical studies. Mostly consisting of qualitative studies, they describe OL with a focus on organizational changes and identify elements that inhibit (e.g., blame and caution) or facilitate (e.g., delegation of power, positive managerial coaching, active communication) the organizational learning process. In a smaller number, quantitative studies investigate OL antecedents such as knowledge acquisition and transformation and learning culture, and a consequent of OL, organizational performance. This paper analyzes these results and suggests an agenda for organizational learning in public sector organizations.
... Last, evaluative insights, even of high relevance and quality, are not always incorporated in policy learning processes. Individual and organizational actors absorb information and learn in complex, non-linear ways (Argyris, 1977;Leeuw et al., 1994;Lipshitz et al., 2007;Olejniczak, Mazur, 2014;Weiss, Bucuvalas, 1980). The challenge of aligning the production of evaluation studies with the knowledge needs of decision-makers has been the focus of both the theory and practice of evaluation utilization. ...
Public managers require different types of knowledge to run programs successfully. This includes knowledge about the context, operational know-how, knowledge about the effects, and causal mechanisms. This knowledge comes from different sources, and evaluation studies are just one of them.
This article takes the perspective of knowledge users. It explores to what extent evaluation is a useful source of knowledge for public managers of cohesion policy. Findings are based on an extensive study of 116 Polish institutions: surveys with 945 program managers, followed by 78 interviews with key policy actors. The article concludes that: (a) utility of evaluation studies, in comparison to other sources of knowledge, is limited, (b) evaluation reports are used to some extent as a source of knowledge on effects and mechanisms, however, (c) "effects" are shallowly interpreted as smooth money spending, not socio-economic change.
In conclusion this article offers practical ideas on what evaluation practitioners could do to make evaluation more useful for knowledge users in policy implementation.
... Source: Olejniczak, Mazur, 2014. When defining organizational learning it's important to have in mind certain qualities of adaptation processes (Argyris, Schön 1995;Fiol, Lyles 1985;March 1991;Lipshitz i in. ...
One of the oldest questions raised by public policy scientists is the problem of politicization of public administration. It has been proven that in public policy process it is barely possible to separate the influence of politicians and the administrative decisions. One of the reasons for this is that politicians are always looking for ways to control administrative decisions because they are responsible in front of the voters and other public actors. On the other hand, in the democratic states there is no proof of full control of administration by the politicians and policy execution. In fact, administration many times has proven to be politic-proof and focused on the interests of the bureaucrats as a group, rather than political goals. One of the reasons being that in the 20th century administration as an executive apparatus of states became the world's largest companies, with their own specific rules and qualified workers. Because of their professionalization and experience the officials as a group are hard to replace, which gives them power to exert their interests. In other words, the relation between politics and administration is a complex one, with many interests at play. Despite the common assumptions that too much politicization cannot be good for the public policy process, this phenomenon is still a black box. We don't know exactly how political influence affects and changes administrative decision, and how deep does it go. In Poland there is a common opinion that politicians from cabinets in ministries often interfere in the process of administrative planning. In project " Ministries as learning organizations " (MUS) we observed this phenomenon in relation to changes in internal structures of administration and management. For this effect we used structural modelling techniques to better understand the relations between organizational learning and political adaptation. As we discovered, there is an optimal level of Political Adaptation specific for every type of Department, but in some cases different than maximum.
ISBN 978-80-89013-81-4
... Thirdly, knowledge brokering strategy should be cognizant of the dynamics of organizational learning, which shapes how evaluation findings are integrated, or not in a collective mental model at the level of a particular institution. Again, effective brokers have to understand the inherent factors determining learning in organizations such as trust level, incentives, organizational routines that support collective reflection, as well as the role of leaders in that process (Lipshitz et al., 2007; Olejniczak, Mazur, 2014). Finally, knowledge brokers must watch for mechanisms inherent in the policy process. ...
Paper presented at European Evaluation Society Biennial Conference
Dublin, 1-3 of October 2014
... Thirdly, knowledge brokering strategy should be cognizant of the dynamics of organizational learning, which shapes how evaluation findings are integrated, or not in a collective mental model at the level of a particular institution. Again, effective brokers have to understand the inherent factors determining learning in organizations such as trust level, incentives, organizational routines that support collective reflection, as well as the role of leaders in that process (Lipshitz et al., 2007; Olejniczak, Mazur, 2014). Finally, knowledge brokers must watch for mechanisms inherent in the policy process. ...
The Cohesion Policy of the European Union has been one of the most intensively evaluated policies. Evaluation units perform a key role in this process. Despite the massive production of evaluation reports, the utilization of knowledge remains limited. The current evaluation literature does not explain well the reality of evaluation use
and role of evaluation units in complex programming and institutional settings. The article offers an empirically tested framework for the analysis of the role of evaluation units as knowledge brokers. It is based on a systematic, interdisciplinary literature review on knowledge brokering and empirical research of evaluation units in
Poland with complementary evidence from a range of institutional context (US federal government and international organizations). The proposed framework transforms evaluation units from mere buyers of expertise and producers of isolated reports into animators of "reflexive social learning" that steer streams of knowledge to decisionmakers.
The article deals with the activity of municipal self-government administration during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of the article is to answer the question about the factors determining the reaction to the so-called first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic which was experienced by the municipal self-government administration of the two European cities: Warsaw (“hard” reaction) and Stockholm (“soft” reaction). Due to the hypothesis that the predictive and responsive potential of the municipal self-government administration of Warsaw and Stockholm differentiates their reaction to the so-called first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was decided to use several research methods: comparative analysis, analysis of legal acts, analysis of statistical data and elements of system analysis. The conducted research proves that it is difficult to indicate the relationship between the predictive and responsive potential of the municipal self-government administration of Warsaw and Stockholm and its reaction to the so-called first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The sources of the difference in this reaction should therefore be sought in other factors.
Behawioralne interwencje publiczne (BIP) oznaczają wykorzystanie w polityce publicznej wiedzy o tym, jak ludzie podejmują decyzje i działają w codziennym życiu. Wiedza ta płynie z najnowszych odkryć psychologii. Stawiamy tezę, że BIP są szansą na znaczące podniesienie skuteczności wielu działań publicznych – regulacji, projektów, programów, a nawet całych polityk. Rozdział składa się z trzech części. Pierwsza przybliża genezę podejścia behawioralnego, główne zdobycze psychologii podejmowania decyzji, które dały podstawę temu podejściu oraz zawiera krótkie podsumowanie strategii behawioralnych proponowanych dla programów i regulacji publicznych.
W drugiej części zaprezentowane zostały przykłady praktycznego zastosowania BIP w dziedzinie ubezpieczeń społecznych, usług finansowych, profilaktyki zdrowotnej, transplantacji, zarządzania ruchem w mieście. W ostatniej części przeanalizowano implikacje, jakie niosą BIP dla praktyki polityki publicznej, w tym dla ewaluacji. Po rozdziale następuje dyskusja ekspertów na temat użyteczności BIP.
