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[Edwards, R.][Faerman, S.][McGrath, M.]
Edwards, R. L., Faerman, S. R. and McGrath, M. R. (1986). 'The Competing Values Approach to Organizational Effectiveness: A Tool for Agency Administrators'. Administration in Social Work 10(4): 1
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A competing values approach to organizational effectiveness is described. It is contended that this approach is useful in assessing both organizational effectiveness and the multiple constituency issue. The competing values approach rests on a human relations model containing 3 dimensions:
- a value continuum ranging from emphasis on control to emphasis on flexibility,
- a focus perspective ranging from internal emphasis on coordinating the parts to an external emphasis on the organization as a whole, and
- a temporal perspective focusing on ends and means.
The first 2 dimensions form the vertical and horizontal axes on the model, dividing it into quadrants. The means-ends axis further defines the characteristics. The new approach is applied in a case study to a public agency with 30 local offices in 13 states. It is concluded that agency administrators could use the approach as a useful tool in assessing the performance of the organization.
