Copyright (c) 2009 All rights reserved. http://works.bepress.com/fmcgregor Recent documents in Felicity McGregor en-us Thu, 29 Oct 2009 23:21:24 PDT 3600 http://works.bepress.com/fmcgregor/11 http://works.bepress.com/fmcgregor/11 Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:24:00 PDT It is said that Abdul Kassem Ismael, the scholarly Grand Vizier of Persia in the tenth century had a library of 117,000 volumes. He was an avid reader and a lover of books. On his many travels, he could not bear to part with this beloved books. Wherever he went they were carried about by 400 camels trained to walk in alphabetical order. His camel drivers thus became librarians who could put their hands instantly on any book for which their master asked. (Hawkins, Brian L and Battin, Patricia (2000) Camel Drivers and Gatecrashers, Educause Review May/June 2000 p50). How did the performance of this mobile library measure up? As there was only one key client and stakeholder, the Grand Vizier, matters were relatively simple and he, perhaps, thought in terms of the number of items in his collection, whether they were correctly arranged for immediate retrieval and whether his wealth was sufficient to acquire even more precious volumes. Such measures are still common today in libraries even though we can now transport our libraries - or at least make them accessible - to the far corners of the earth, not by camel but via electronic publishing and the internet. F. McGregor Conference Papers http://works.bepress.com/fmcgregor/10 http://works.bepress.com/fmcgregor/10 Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:23:59 PDT Quality management was formally adopted by the University of Wollongong Library in 1994 as a management framework compatible with established values and previous change programs. Despite considerable goal accomplishment in recent years, new strategies were needed to continue to build on strengths, and to assimilate continuous review and improvement as a means of managing future change. Application for the Achievement in Business Excellence Award was selected as an indicator to measure progress towards the goal: Incorporation of Total Quality Management principles into all aspects of Library management. The process is quite rigorous and the commitment of leaders and staff at all levels is essential for success. F. McGregor Journal Articles http://works.bepress.com/fmcgregor/8 http://works.bepress.com/fmcgregor/8 Wed, 28 May 2008 13:35:14 PDT Collection and interpretation of information and data were key elements in a planned change management strategy which, over a period of six years, transformed the University of Wollongong (UOW) Library's capacity to deliver sustained organisational improvement. Early initiatives in strategic planning, performance management and staff development had delivered a number of improvements to an essentially conservative organisation. Perceptions of Library services were mostly favourable. Success was difficult to measure and promote, however, due to the lack of robust performance indicators and measures. Performance measurement focussed on inputs and outputs, primarily those considered mandatory for reporting purposes, with little or no emphasis on the effectiveness or quality of services offered. In 1994, the decision was made to investigate the potential of the quality movement to underpin the Library's goal of differentiating itself through external recognition for quality and service excellence. To achieve this ambitious goal, it was imperative to develop the tools which would enable the demonstration and communication of outcomes and the impact of change strategies. The selection of the Australian Business Excellence Framework (ABEF) as the management framework to drive and support transformational change led to the development of a new cultural paradigm. A key feature of this cultural shift was the identification of measurement activities, including the implementation of client surveys and other feedback mechanisms. Although the evidence of performance and success provided by these measures was relatively crude, initial results were sufficient to challenge staff perceptions that had previously relied upon anecdotal evidence. Staff involvement in measuring and analysing results provided the foundations for a change management program which aimed to redress unfavourable client and stakeholder perceptions and to build on perceived strengths. This process was fundamental to the success of UOW Library's 'Quality Journey'. Evaluation of data and information can be a powerful catalyst for a change agenda as the assessment process has the potential to provide evidence of what needs to be improved at all levels of the organisation. In our case, recognising and addressing the opportunities for improvement introduced new vitality and innovation in the development, management and delivery of quality services and resources to clients. Within a few years, the Library was positioned for external scrutiny and underwent assessment by third party evaluators using nationally and internationally recognised criteria of business excellence. By the year 2000, the Library was recognised with the prestigious Australian Business Excellence Award. The goal of developing and fostering a culture valuing measurement and evidence had, to a large extent, been achieved. A key outcome of the continued use of the ABEF and other best practice standards has been the ability to sustain commitment to ongoing evaluation and assessment through regular internal and external scrutiny of performance, including benchmarking. The impact of ongoing improvement initiatives, informed through careful analysis of results has been demonstrated through positive trends in client and stakeholder satisfaction with services and access to resources; benchmark comparisons, significant improvement in processing efficiency and costs, enhanced staff satisfaction and morale and the capacity to develop new areas of service offerings to support the research, teaching and learning needs of the University. M. H. Jantti Conference Papers http://works.bepress.com/fmcgregor/7 http://works.bepress.com/fmcgregor/7 Wed, 28 May 2008 13:35:11 PDT Measuring the performance of individual library services and processes is now well developed; it is more difficult, however, to identify best practice or to measure the overall organisational performance of libraries. In the absence of relevant sector-wide benchmarks, the University of Wollongong Library (UoW) adopted the principles outlined in the Australian Quality Council's (AQC) Business Excellence Framework and then benchmarked its performance by applying for, and subsequently winning, an Australian Business Excellence Award. The Awards process requires evidence on all aspects of organisational performance: leadership and innovation, strategy and planning processes, data, information and knowledge, people, customer and market focus, processes, products and services and business results. Although the applicability of business excellence indicators to university libraries is not immediately apparent, environmental forces have combined to mandate a more rigorous approach to performance measurement. Government accountability strategies are shaping a higher education environment increasingly focused on market share, income generation and commercial opportunities. Student expectations of all university services have sharpened in the context of tuition fees and tough employment markets. Information and communication technology developments have fuelled competition in the information delivery market on a global scale. Performance Indicators, therefore, need to reflect the strategic priorities of the parent body and to provide data to key stakeholders on broad organisational performance such as return on investment and success in creating value. Indicators are also needed to predict competitive position and future sustainability - usually considered to be applicable only to business organisations. Measuring performance against a recognised business excellence or quality framework can deliver a range of benefits for libraries. These include recognition both within and outside the university and library sectors and the reinforcement of a culture of assessment. F. McGregor Conference Papers http://works.bepress.com/fmcgregor/6 http://works.bepress.com/fmcgregor/6 Wed, 28 May 2008 13:35:08 PDT [Extract] The proliferation of inspirational leadership and management publications available in libraries and bookshops suggests that there are many paths to excellence. Much of the literature is written with a business or corporate audience in mind; however, it is a source of ideas, theories and models that, potentially, can be applied in public or not-for-profit organizations. One theory which has enjoyed a long history of debate and discussion in management studies is quality management, variously referred to as TQM, Quality Assurance, Total Quality Control or one of many other alternatives. In this chapter the applicability and potential benefits, as well as the challenges and obstacles, of adopting one version of total quality management in a library setting are examined. This discussion of the application of quality management in libraries is based on the experience of the University of Wollongong Library (UWL) in selecting and adopting the Australian Business Excellence Framework (ABEF), administered by Standards Australia International.1 In adopting a quality framework, hereafter referred to as the ABEF, UWL intended to evaluate its progress towards its stated vision, mission and goals by applying for the associated Australian Business Excellence Award, (ABEA). The latter includes a major submission and rigorous on-site audit by qualified evaluators. Organizations can choose to enter the awards at different levels. In 1996, less than two years after adopting the framework, UWL was evaluated and received recognition at 'achievement' level. Two years later, evaluation at Award level resulted in reaching Finalist status and in 2000, UWL became the first library to compete with a range of profit and not-for-profit organizations to receive an Australian Business Excellence Award. F. McGregor Book Chapters http://works.bepress.com/fmcgregor/5 http://works.bepress.com/fmcgregor/5 Wed, 28 May 2008 13:35:05 PDT The University of Wollongong Library is the first library in Australia to be awarded the Investors in People (IiP) standard. IiP is an internationally recognised standard concerned with achieving best practice in the management and development of people to achieve organisational goals, together with a framework for ongoing evaluation and improvement. The standard originated in the United Kingdom and is administered in Australia by NCSI (NATA Certification Services International). The award was presented by the chief executive officer of NCSI, Sue Chapman at a ceremony on 25 February 2000, attended by the University's vice-chancellor, Professor Gerard Sutton, the pro vice-chancellor (Academic), Professor Christine Ewan (whose portfolio includes the Library) and many other members of the university community. F. McGregor Other Contributions http://works.bepress.com/fmcgregor/4 http://works.bepress.com/fmcgregor/4 Wed, 28 May 2008 13:35:03 PDT [Extract] The announcement of the establishment of a Quality Audit Agency to evaluate the performance of universities, signalled an inevitable expansion of the incipient culture of measurement and evaluation in Australian universities. Those who consider that quality, and its associated tenets of measurement and evaluation are of dubious value, will be constrained to demonstrate goal achievement through whichever mechanisms are deemed appropriate by the Agency. Otherwise, they may face an uncertain funding future. Although the details of the audit process are not yet clear, there will be a single national body which will be responsible for overseeing independent external quality audits of universities' internal systems. F. McGregor Conference Papers http://works.bepress.com/fmcgregor/3 http://works.bepress.com/fmcgregor/3 Wed, 28 May 2008 13:35:00 PDT [Extract] Customer satisfaction surveys and other feedback systems provide data and information on a range of service elements, however, they are limited in the insights they can provide into the total service experience, in particular the influence of staff attitudes, attributes and behaviours on overall satisfaction. Feedback from surveys does of course offer clues to guide further investigation. Mystery shopping was chosen by the University of Wollongong Library (UWL) to shed light on the value customers place on various aspects of their service interactions. The Customer Satisfaction Survey discussed in this paper was developed by an Australian company, Rodski Survey and Behavioural Research, in consultation with a number of university libraries. It is discussed in the context of UWL's overall performance and management framework: the Australian Business Excellence Framework. F. McGregor Conference Papers http://works.bepress.com/fmcgregor/2 http://works.bepress.com/fmcgregor/2 Wed, 28 May 2008 13:34:57 PDT Change management strategies, as discussed in the literature, commonly share similar approaches and processes. Quality management or business excellence frameworks include many of the elements seen to be essential to effective change management. By adopting a management framework, a holistic approach to organisational change, development and innovation can be achieved. Instead of managing change as a series of events, a system wide approach is adopted. The disparate elements of effective management practice: human resources, industrial relations, customer relationship management, leadership strategies and planning processes are all integrated in a model underpinned by a systems approach and informed by systematic data collection, information and knowledge management. Through constant review of all activities and analysis of data, as recommended by quality frameworks, staff are more aware of the need for improvement, innovation or other change events and more likely to be involved in effective management of the constant change which characterises the library and information environment. The University of Wollongong Library (UWL) adopted the Australian Business Excellence Framework in 1994 as a means of managing the changes affecting almost every facet of our traditional library "business". Subsequently, UWL applied for recognition in the Australian Business Excellence Awards and was recognised in 2000. The most challenging aspect of the 'quality journey' was the development of measures and indicators to enable assessment of progress against goals and strategies. Measuring performance against a recognised business excellence or quality framework can deliver a range of benefits for libraries. These include recognition both within and outside the university and library sectors and the reinforcement of a culture of assessment. The involvement of staff in all stages of addressing the requirements of the Australian Business Excellence Framework and of preparation for the Award audit, delivered all of the benefits of change management theory and more. Staff benefited from the training and development associated with quality management, they were empowered by their access to data and information for decision making and rewarded by the recognition the Library received as an Australian Business Excellence Award winner. F. McGregor Conference Papers http://works.bepress.com/fmcgregor/1 http://works.bepress.com/fmcgregor/1 Wed, 28 May 2008 13:34:54 PDT A transformation is taking place at the University of Wollongong Library. An extension to the building is adding 2,000 square metres of space across three floors and visually changing the façade from a heavy bunker to a light-filled, transparent space. As the extension project progresses, the impact on both the exterior and interior are increasingly evident. The pebblecrete slabs that were suspended over the top floor and appeared to press the brick walls into the ground have been removed. A number of small shrubs and trees obscuring the building have gone. A soaring portico roof now provides shade for the upper floors. The building itself is no longer nondescript; it now dominates its space at the heart of the campus. F. McGregor Other Contributions