Larry White | None (Private) (original) (raw)
Conference Presentations by Larry White
IFLA, 2006
Abstract: Libraries are facing increased competition for providing information services to their ... more Abstract:
Libraries are facing increased competition for providing information services to their customers. The development of the
L.E.A 3.D. technique will allow libraries to respond to competitive pressures proactively. The effective implementation of the L.E.A
3.D. technique will allow library administrators to:
• Identify forms of competition.
• Develop strategic responses to improve your organization through competition.
• Increase stakeholder understanding of the primary strategic principles of libraries (Access, Accountability, and Alignment).
• Increase internal and external communication of competitive responses and actions.
• Demonstrate your organizational success by increasing stakeholder (internal and external) involvement and appreciation of your strategic and tactical efforts.
Papers by Larry White
Library Review, 2008
Abstract Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to understand the alignment of assessment process... more Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to understand the alignment of assessment processes in libraries and develop a conceptual model of aligning library performance assessment for effective reporting of library value and performance to stakeholders.
Design/methodology/approach – The paper reviews of library performance assessment literature and current practice research to identify the need and value of aligned performance assessment
processes for libraries, the primary contributing alignment factors affecting the library assessment process, and potential benefits of improved alignment of the assessment process for libraries.
Findings – Libraries can improve the reporting and value of their assessment processes by improving the alignment of their assessment processes in two ways: internally through the use of consistent and innovative processes, metrics, and culture within the library and externally by embracing the alignment factors of the library’s service environment. The library must develop more effective assessment alignment processes by progressively elevating the alignment of the library’s assessment processes from internal non-alignment of assessment to the total alignment of assessment to the library’ service environment and the dynamic environmental factors driving today’s libraries.
Practical implications – Increasing the alignment of a library’s assessment processes can improve the efficiency of assessment processes, the effectiveness of the results of the assessment processes,
and the library stakeholder’s appreciation and understanding of the results of the assessment processes.
Originality/value – Provides a conceptual model applicable to all types of libraries to increase the alignment of assessment and the library’s ability to report value and impact.
Keywords Assessment, Strategic alignment, Libraries, Performance measures, Service levels, Stakeholder analysis
Paper type Conceptual paper
Advances in Library Administration and Organization, Volume 31, 2012
Purpose – The broader research question being addressed is whether head library administrators (H... more Purpose – The broader research question being addressed is whether head library administrators (HLAs) have the competitive nature required to respond appropriately to strategic and competitive pressures in the library service environment. In addressing this broader research question, this study seeks to determine how HLAs perceive themselves and their peers’ competitive behavior with regard to personal hobbies, sports and games, their personal career performance, and their library’s performance.
Design/methodology/approach – A census of the 103 HLAs from North
Carolina’s two-year and four-year academic libraries (including both
public and private institutions) and the 77 public library systems in the
state was conducted using a mixed methods design survey instrument to
obtain information regarding their perceptions about both their own and
their peers’ competitive behaviors.
Findings – The survey response rate was 49% and included a sample that
reflected an equal distribution of HLAs by library types and the demographics of the study population. An analysis of survey responses
indicate that while HLAs do perceive themselves and their peers to be
competitive in behavior for their own personal career and their library’s
performance, they are not competitive in nonwork activities such as
personal hobbies or sports and games. The high levels of reported
competitiveness in the respondent’s and library’s performance variables
may indicate HLAs are highly motivated in performing competitive
behaviors when it benefits their own careers. The extreme lack of reported competitive behavior in the strategy related variable (sports and games) may indicate HLAs are less motivated or ill-prepared in the strategic response skills required to respond appropriately to strategic and competitive pressures in the library service environment. Respondents projected their own perceptions of competitive behavior unto their peers, which indicates HLA perceptions of their peers in competitive behaviors (possibly other areas) needs to be examined in greater detail to assess the validity of these perceptions.
Research limitations/implications – Data analysis was unable to
determine any significant statistical relationships between HLA competitive behavior responses and the variables examined. Further research is needed to identify environmental or professional variables that may explain the degrees, motivations, and differences in reported competitive behaviors.
Practical implications – Based on the study findings, libraries may not
have head administrators who can effectively respond to strategic
challenges facing their libraries. Many libraries may have HLAs who
are: not as motivated to respond to strategic needs as career performance needs; have a false set of perceptions of their competitiveness or competitive abilities; have a false set of perceptions of their peers’ competitiveness or competitive abilities; and providing a false sense of security to their libraries that believe the HLA that leads them will enable their libraries to effectively respond to the service environment challenges.
In combination, these findings indicate that the library’s ability to
effectively compete/strategically respond may be dependent on inconsistent and potentially unreliable competitive abilities and personal career motivations. This could make developing strategic responses and
sustainability more difficult for libraries in the future.
Originality/value – The study is the first of its kind to examine whether
HLAs have the competitive nature required to respond appropriately to strategic and competitive pressures in the library service environment.
Having a complete and effective understanding of how head library
administrator’s competitive behaviors work and impact their library’s
strategic response development is essential in preparing and supporting
existing and future head library administrators in leading their libraries in
strategic responses. As the library’s head administrator is the primary
driver of strategy and strategic/competitive responses for their library, the competitive behaviors and their motivations becomes a critical component of the library’s success in effectively responding to strategic challenges and being sustainable for meeting future generation’s information needs.
It is hoped that by exploring head library administrator’s competitive
behavior in this study, the researcher has laid the initial framework for
understanding how a library’s leader will competitively respond or be
capable of responding to today’s library service environment challenges
that have become very competitive in nature and require library
organizations to continually develop and perform activities that generate
increasingly effective strategic performance and value.
Keywords: Academic libraries; competitiveness; competitive behaviors;
competitive perceptions; head library administrator information behavior; library administrators; mixed methods; North Carolina; public libraries;
strategic responses
The Bottom Line, 2009
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the associated customer acquisition costs of pu... more Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the associated customer acquisition costs of public libraries. The intention of the paper is to develop awareness of the hidden costs associated with customer acquisition, and develop assessment tools or models to effectively manage the resources associated with customer acquisition to aid library administrators in strategic budgeting and planning.
Design/methodology/approach – The paper is prepared through review of the library and business literature associated with customer acquisitions. No definitive data on customer turnover rates or models of assessing customer acquisitions cost are identified in the review of the
literature.
Findings – While not identified or managed systematically, the calculation of customer acquisition costs, customer turnover rates, and the effective management of associated customer acquisition cost
is strategically imperative for public libraries. Public libraries generally do not track customer turnover or the associated costs of acquiring new or replacement customers that come about due to this turnover. There is not a definitive estimate of customer turnover in public libraries, so exact costs determination will vary by public library system. Public libraries can reduce their customer acquisition costs through the retention of current customers with high quality service and in effectively managing the customer acquisition process in the strategic budgeting and planning
processes of the library.
Originality/value – Libraries that can effectively acquire new or replacement customers and manage the costs of this process will more effectively utilize resources and maximize customer value
for the library. This paper proposes several cost assessment calculations to help guide library administrators in making strategic decisions.
Keywords Customers, Cost effectiveness, Decision making, Public libraries.
Paper type Conceptual paper
The Bottom Line, 2007
Purpose – This is the second of two papers on the benefits and challenges of human capital assess... more Purpose – This is the second of two papers on the benefits and challenges of human capital assessment. The purpose of this paper is to review the most common challenges that library administrators may encounter when developing and implementing a human capital assessment process in their libraries and offer suggested counter-responses to reduce implementation challenges.
Design/methodology/approach – This paper uses a literature review to identify potential challenges and resolutions for library administrators who are developing and implementing human capital assessment. In reviewing human capital assessment from the literature from both outside and within the library profession, it is hoped that the most common challenges can be identified to allow library administrators an effective opportunity to plan and account for these challenges during
development and implementation.
Findings – Human capital assessment is an increasingly essential element of organizational performance assessment for library administrators. There are several types of common challenges in
developing and implementing human capital assessment processes: a lack of consensual operational definitions and assessment values for human capital valuation and assessment, complexity of process,
subjectivity in application, and misaligned information needs of mid-level administrators. However, if these development and implementation challenges can be reduced or eliminated through prior
planning and aligning the valuation and assessment processes to the organization and its assessment information needs, there are multiple potential benefits for library administrators who wish to assess
the human capital of their library.
Originality/value – Identifying the implementation challenges of human capital assessment for library administrators could reduce the initial challenges of in assessing the human component of the library’s performance in meeting stakeholder’s needs and accountability concerns.
Keywords Assessment, Human capital, Libraries, Organizational performance
Paper type Conceptual paper
The Bottom Line, 2007
Abstract Purpose – The purpose of paper one of the two-article series exploration of human capita... more Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of paper one of the two-article series exploration of human capital assessment is to examine the strategies by which library administrators can assess and benefit the human capital performance of their library and to lay the groundwork for the discussion of the strategic challenges of assessing and valuing human capital in article two.
Design/methodology/approach – This paper uses a literature review to identify potential strategies and metrics for library administrators to assess human capital productivity.
Findings – Human capital is an increasingly essential element of organizational performance assessment. Effectively assessing library staff expenditures (which generally receives the largest
expenditure allocations within the library’s budget) and the resulting performance generated by the staff, who are the primary knowledge tools and providers of the library’s services, is an ever increasing possibility to account for greater amounts of tangible and intangible organizational performance. Library administrators have multiple options for developing effective strategies and metrics by which to assess their libraries human capital performance.
Originality/value – Developing an effective human capital assessment process as a standard component of the library’s performance and budgetary assessment processes would benefit libraries and their administrators by increasing the organizational performance information available for resource allocation decisions regarding library staff development, recruitment, and retention in the larger overall management decision making and planning processes.
Keywords Assessment, Human capital, Intellectual capital, Recruitment, Retention, Employee development
Paper type Conceptual paper
IFLA, 2006
Library administrator’s use and dissemination of organizational performance assessment (PA) data ... more Library administrator’s use and dissemination of organizational performance assessment (PA) data and their perceptions of the need and value of PAM data and information is the primary focus of this paper. A 2002 statewide study conducted in Florida public libraries to identify library administrators’ personal perceptions; actual practices of communicating and utilizing organizational PM data; and other performance assessment data/information.
Library Review, 2008
Abstract Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to understand the alignment of assessment process... more Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to understand the alignment of assessment processes in libraries and develop a conceptual model of aligning library performance assessment for effective reporting of library value and performance to stakeholders.
Design/methodology/approach – The paper reviews of library performance assessment literature and current practice research to identify the need and value of aligned performance assessment
processes for libraries, the primary contributing alignment factors affecting the library assessment process, and potential benefits of improved alignment of the assessment process for libraries.
Findings – Libraries can improve the reporting and value of their assessment processes by improving the alignment of their assessment processes in two ways: internally through the use of consistent and innovative processes, metrics, and culture within the library and externally by embracing the alignment factors of the library’s service environment. The library must develop more effective assessment alignment processes by progressively elevating the alignment of the library’s assessment processes from internal non-alignment of assessment to the total alignment of assessment to the library’ service environment and the dynamic environmental factors driving today’s libraries.
Practical implications – Increasing the alignment of a library’s assessment processes can improve the efficiency of assessment processes, the effectiveness of the results of the assessment processes,
and the library stakeholder’s appreciation and understanding of the results of the assessment processes.
Originality/value – Provides a conceptual model applicable to all types of libraries to increase the alignment of assessment and the library’s ability to report value and impact.
Keywords Assessment, Strategic alignment, Libraries, Performance measures, Service levels, Stakeholder analysis
Paper type Conceptual paper
Journal of Leadership Education, 2007
The study design investigated the leadership behavior of deans of education that addresses an imp... more The study design investigated the leadership behavior of deans of education that addresses an important aspect of leadership – leadership is created when there is alignment between the organizational leadership behaviors needed by the institution and the leadership behaviors provided by the organizational leader. A survey of a selected group of deans of education from 35 institutions addressed the questions: what do deans self-identify as their prominent leadership behavior and to what extent do deans use multiple leadership behaviors. The research of
Bolman and Deal (1984) provided the frames for analysis: structural, human resource, political, and symbolic frames. The study response rate was 50%. The findings of the study indicated that the majority of respondents perceived their primary leadership behavior as most closely matching the human resource frame. Results also indicated that a majority of respondents did not perceive that they exhibited multiple leadership behavior frames simultaneously in their leadership
behaviors.
The Bottom Line, 2007
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the needs to assess the value and impact of the... more Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the needs to assess the value and impact of the intangible resources and efforts produced by the library.
Design/methodology approach – A literature overview is used to provide the background of intangibles assessment and its application in libraries, with examples of library intangible resources used and efforts produced, and reviews the possible benefits for libraries in adopting and effectively
utilizing intangible assessment.
Findings – The library has multiple intangible assets, resources, and efforts it produces that are not generally accounted for in annual assessments, accountability reporting, or budget planning. Learning
to account for and include the intangibles used/produced by the library will increase the library’s capability to address accountability concerns of stakeholders, more effectively align the library’s resources with strategic responses, and more effectively utilize intangible assets and resources.
Originality/value – Increased reporting and usage of intangible resources/products by the library could provide library administrators with a proactive means of increasing the effectiveness and scope
of library assessment, valuation, and resource planning and usage.
Keywords Libraries, Financial management, Human capital, Intangible assets, Intellectual capital, Assessment
Paper type Conceptual paper
Technical Services Quarterly, 2008
Storytelling has been recognized as powerful for the classroom and for library programs promoting... more Storytelling has been recognized as powerful for the classroom
and for library programs promoting reading, but in recent years,
advocates promoting storytelling for the management of organizations
have also become active, especially in the private sector. Librarians can
benefit from the use of storytelling in managing organizations. This article promotes the adaptation and use of stories for managing libraries and examines the primary literature from the private sector and from professional library journals that promotes storytelling for management.
Because stories for management use real-life examples to address a specific purpose for management, the article discusses and describes the use of the springboard story, the primary form of storytelling in managing organizations, and also explains the qualities needed for this type of story. The article also includes a story that models these qualities.
Thesis Chapters by Larry White
Does Counting Count: An Evaluative Study of the Use and Impact of Performance Measurement in Florida Public Libraries, 2002
The purposes of the study were to identify the current use and perceived impact of performance me... more The purposes of the study were to identify the current use and perceived
impact of performance measurement (PM) in Florida public libraries and to determine whether a culture of assessment exists in Florida public libraries. The study seeks to determine the perceived impacts of PM, methods of data collection, resources expended to conduct PM, current PM methods employed by Library Administrative Units (LAU), use of information resulting from PM, and the types of participants involved in the PM process.
The survey was conducted using an evaluative mixed-methodology
research design. The study participants were the head public library
administrators of Florida’s seventy-five (75) public LAU. The study was
conducted in two phases: Phase I of the study was a self-administered
attitudinal-quantitative survey of the seventy-five Head Library Administrators (HLA) conducted by e-mail which yielded a 53.3% return rate. Respondents recorded current performance measurement practices, estimated resources expended to conduct PM, identified PM process participants, and perceptions of the impact and effectiveness of PM.
Phase II of the study consisted of a qualitative series of interviews
conducted by e-mail and telephone with Key Informants (Kl). KIs within and outside of the HLA population were interviewed to gather additional information on the history, current practices, and the future needs and developmental directions of PM in Florida’s public libraries.
The results of the study indicate that a wide variety of PM methods are
currently used in Florida public libraries with HLA perceiving marginal impact resulting from their use in their LAU. Study results indicate a culture of assessment does not currently exist in Florida public LAU. The study also concluded that Florida public LAU expended an estimated 7.9−7.9 - 7.9−16.1 million and used an estimated 335 - 609 staff FTE (not including training time) to conduct PM in FY 2000-2001.
Finally, the study results indicated the PM process in Florida LAU creates
Orphaned Data and Knowledge (ODK.) Recommendations of the study include: future research to determine how ODK is created and how ODK can be transformed into a beneficial resource; improving HLA’s use and understanding of the PM process.
IFLA, 2006
Abstract: Libraries are facing increased competition for providing information services to their ... more Abstract:
Libraries are facing increased competition for providing information services to their customers. The development of the
L.E.A 3.D. technique will allow libraries to respond to competitive pressures proactively. The effective implementation of the L.E.A
3.D. technique will allow library administrators to:
• Identify forms of competition.
• Develop strategic responses to improve your organization through competition.
• Increase stakeholder understanding of the primary strategic principles of libraries (Access, Accountability, and Alignment).
• Increase internal and external communication of competitive responses and actions.
• Demonstrate your organizational success by increasing stakeholder (internal and external) involvement and appreciation of your strategic and tactical efforts.
Library Review, 2008
Abstract Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to understand the alignment of assessment process... more Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to understand the alignment of assessment processes in libraries and develop a conceptual model of aligning library performance assessment for effective reporting of library value and performance to stakeholders.
Design/methodology/approach – The paper reviews of library performance assessment literature and current practice research to identify the need and value of aligned performance assessment
processes for libraries, the primary contributing alignment factors affecting the library assessment process, and potential benefits of improved alignment of the assessment process for libraries.
Findings – Libraries can improve the reporting and value of their assessment processes by improving the alignment of their assessment processes in two ways: internally through the use of consistent and innovative processes, metrics, and culture within the library and externally by embracing the alignment factors of the library’s service environment. The library must develop more effective assessment alignment processes by progressively elevating the alignment of the library’s assessment processes from internal non-alignment of assessment to the total alignment of assessment to the library’ service environment and the dynamic environmental factors driving today’s libraries.
Practical implications – Increasing the alignment of a library’s assessment processes can improve the efficiency of assessment processes, the effectiveness of the results of the assessment processes,
and the library stakeholder’s appreciation and understanding of the results of the assessment processes.
Originality/value – Provides a conceptual model applicable to all types of libraries to increase the alignment of assessment and the library’s ability to report value and impact.
Keywords Assessment, Strategic alignment, Libraries, Performance measures, Service levels, Stakeholder analysis
Paper type Conceptual paper
Advances in Library Administration and Organization, Volume 31, 2012
Purpose – The broader research question being addressed is whether head library administrators (H... more Purpose – The broader research question being addressed is whether head library administrators (HLAs) have the competitive nature required to respond appropriately to strategic and competitive pressures in the library service environment. In addressing this broader research question, this study seeks to determine how HLAs perceive themselves and their peers’ competitive behavior with regard to personal hobbies, sports and games, their personal career performance, and their library’s performance.
Design/methodology/approach – A census of the 103 HLAs from North
Carolina’s two-year and four-year academic libraries (including both
public and private institutions) and the 77 public library systems in the
state was conducted using a mixed methods design survey instrument to
obtain information regarding their perceptions about both their own and
their peers’ competitive behaviors.
Findings – The survey response rate was 49% and included a sample that
reflected an equal distribution of HLAs by library types and the demographics of the study population. An analysis of survey responses
indicate that while HLAs do perceive themselves and their peers to be
competitive in behavior for their own personal career and their library’s
performance, they are not competitive in nonwork activities such as
personal hobbies or sports and games. The high levels of reported
competitiveness in the respondent’s and library’s performance variables
may indicate HLAs are highly motivated in performing competitive
behaviors when it benefits their own careers. The extreme lack of reported competitive behavior in the strategy related variable (sports and games) may indicate HLAs are less motivated or ill-prepared in the strategic response skills required to respond appropriately to strategic and competitive pressures in the library service environment. Respondents projected their own perceptions of competitive behavior unto their peers, which indicates HLA perceptions of their peers in competitive behaviors (possibly other areas) needs to be examined in greater detail to assess the validity of these perceptions.
Research limitations/implications – Data analysis was unable to
determine any significant statistical relationships between HLA competitive behavior responses and the variables examined. Further research is needed to identify environmental or professional variables that may explain the degrees, motivations, and differences in reported competitive behaviors.
Practical implications – Based on the study findings, libraries may not
have head administrators who can effectively respond to strategic
challenges facing their libraries. Many libraries may have HLAs who
are: not as motivated to respond to strategic needs as career performance needs; have a false set of perceptions of their competitiveness or competitive abilities; have a false set of perceptions of their peers’ competitiveness or competitive abilities; and providing a false sense of security to their libraries that believe the HLA that leads them will enable their libraries to effectively respond to the service environment challenges.
In combination, these findings indicate that the library’s ability to
effectively compete/strategically respond may be dependent on inconsistent and potentially unreliable competitive abilities and personal career motivations. This could make developing strategic responses and
sustainability more difficult for libraries in the future.
Originality/value – The study is the first of its kind to examine whether
HLAs have the competitive nature required to respond appropriately to strategic and competitive pressures in the library service environment.
Having a complete and effective understanding of how head library
administrator’s competitive behaviors work and impact their library’s
strategic response development is essential in preparing and supporting
existing and future head library administrators in leading their libraries in
strategic responses. As the library’s head administrator is the primary
driver of strategy and strategic/competitive responses for their library, the competitive behaviors and their motivations becomes a critical component of the library’s success in effectively responding to strategic challenges and being sustainable for meeting future generation’s information needs.
It is hoped that by exploring head library administrator’s competitive
behavior in this study, the researcher has laid the initial framework for
understanding how a library’s leader will competitively respond or be
capable of responding to today’s library service environment challenges
that have become very competitive in nature and require library
organizations to continually develop and perform activities that generate
increasingly effective strategic performance and value.
Keywords: Academic libraries; competitiveness; competitive behaviors;
competitive perceptions; head library administrator information behavior; library administrators; mixed methods; North Carolina; public libraries;
strategic responses
The Bottom Line, 2009
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the associated customer acquisition costs of pu... more Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the associated customer acquisition costs of public libraries. The intention of the paper is to develop awareness of the hidden costs associated with customer acquisition, and develop assessment tools or models to effectively manage the resources associated with customer acquisition to aid library administrators in strategic budgeting and planning.
Design/methodology/approach – The paper is prepared through review of the library and business literature associated with customer acquisitions. No definitive data on customer turnover rates or models of assessing customer acquisitions cost are identified in the review of the
literature.
Findings – While not identified or managed systematically, the calculation of customer acquisition costs, customer turnover rates, and the effective management of associated customer acquisition cost
is strategically imperative for public libraries. Public libraries generally do not track customer turnover or the associated costs of acquiring new or replacement customers that come about due to this turnover. There is not a definitive estimate of customer turnover in public libraries, so exact costs determination will vary by public library system. Public libraries can reduce their customer acquisition costs through the retention of current customers with high quality service and in effectively managing the customer acquisition process in the strategic budgeting and planning
processes of the library.
Originality/value – Libraries that can effectively acquire new or replacement customers and manage the costs of this process will more effectively utilize resources and maximize customer value
for the library. This paper proposes several cost assessment calculations to help guide library administrators in making strategic decisions.
Keywords Customers, Cost effectiveness, Decision making, Public libraries.
Paper type Conceptual paper
The Bottom Line, 2007
Purpose – This is the second of two papers on the benefits and challenges of human capital assess... more Purpose – This is the second of two papers on the benefits and challenges of human capital assessment. The purpose of this paper is to review the most common challenges that library administrators may encounter when developing and implementing a human capital assessment process in their libraries and offer suggested counter-responses to reduce implementation challenges.
Design/methodology/approach – This paper uses a literature review to identify potential challenges and resolutions for library administrators who are developing and implementing human capital assessment. In reviewing human capital assessment from the literature from both outside and within the library profession, it is hoped that the most common challenges can be identified to allow library administrators an effective opportunity to plan and account for these challenges during
development and implementation.
Findings – Human capital assessment is an increasingly essential element of organizational performance assessment for library administrators. There are several types of common challenges in
developing and implementing human capital assessment processes: a lack of consensual operational definitions and assessment values for human capital valuation and assessment, complexity of process,
subjectivity in application, and misaligned information needs of mid-level administrators. However, if these development and implementation challenges can be reduced or eliminated through prior
planning and aligning the valuation and assessment processes to the organization and its assessment information needs, there are multiple potential benefits for library administrators who wish to assess
the human capital of their library.
Originality/value – Identifying the implementation challenges of human capital assessment for library administrators could reduce the initial challenges of in assessing the human component of the library’s performance in meeting stakeholder’s needs and accountability concerns.
Keywords Assessment, Human capital, Libraries, Organizational performance
Paper type Conceptual paper
The Bottom Line, 2007
Abstract Purpose – The purpose of paper one of the two-article series exploration of human capita... more Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of paper one of the two-article series exploration of human capital assessment is to examine the strategies by which library administrators can assess and benefit the human capital performance of their library and to lay the groundwork for the discussion of the strategic challenges of assessing and valuing human capital in article two.
Design/methodology/approach – This paper uses a literature review to identify potential strategies and metrics for library administrators to assess human capital productivity.
Findings – Human capital is an increasingly essential element of organizational performance assessment. Effectively assessing library staff expenditures (which generally receives the largest
expenditure allocations within the library’s budget) and the resulting performance generated by the staff, who are the primary knowledge tools and providers of the library’s services, is an ever increasing possibility to account for greater amounts of tangible and intangible organizational performance. Library administrators have multiple options for developing effective strategies and metrics by which to assess their libraries human capital performance.
Originality/value – Developing an effective human capital assessment process as a standard component of the library’s performance and budgetary assessment processes would benefit libraries and their administrators by increasing the organizational performance information available for resource allocation decisions regarding library staff development, recruitment, and retention in the larger overall management decision making and planning processes.
Keywords Assessment, Human capital, Intellectual capital, Recruitment, Retention, Employee development
Paper type Conceptual paper
IFLA, 2006
Library administrator’s use and dissemination of organizational performance assessment (PA) data ... more Library administrator’s use and dissemination of organizational performance assessment (PA) data and their perceptions of the need and value of PAM data and information is the primary focus of this paper. A 2002 statewide study conducted in Florida public libraries to identify library administrators’ personal perceptions; actual practices of communicating and utilizing organizational PM data; and other performance assessment data/information.
Library Review, 2008
Abstract Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to understand the alignment of assessment process... more Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to understand the alignment of assessment processes in libraries and develop a conceptual model of aligning library performance assessment for effective reporting of library value and performance to stakeholders.
Design/methodology/approach – The paper reviews of library performance assessment literature and current practice research to identify the need and value of aligned performance assessment
processes for libraries, the primary contributing alignment factors affecting the library assessment process, and potential benefits of improved alignment of the assessment process for libraries.
Findings – Libraries can improve the reporting and value of their assessment processes by improving the alignment of their assessment processes in two ways: internally through the use of consistent and innovative processes, metrics, and culture within the library and externally by embracing the alignment factors of the library’s service environment. The library must develop more effective assessment alignment processes by progressively elevating the alignment of the library’s assessment processes from internal non-alignment of assessment to the total alignment of assessment to the library’ service environment and the dynamic environmental factors driving today’s libraries.
Practical implications – Increasing the alignment of a library’s assessment processes can improve the efficiency of assessment processes, the effectiveness of the results of the assessment processes,
and the library stakeholder’s appreciation and understanding of the results of the assessment processes.
Originality/value – Provides a conceptual model applicable to all types of libraries to increase the alignment of assessment and the library’s ability to report value and impact.
Keywords Assessment, Strategic alignment, Libraries, Performance measures, Service levels, Stakeholder analysis
Paper type Conceptual paper
Journal of Leadership Education, 2007
The study design investigated the leadership behavior of deans of education that addresses an imp... more The study design investigated the leadership behavior of deans of education that addresses an important aspect of leadership – leadership is created when there is alignment between the organizational leadership behaviors needed by the institution and the leadership behaviors provided by the organizational leader. A survey of a selected group of deans of education from 35 institutions addressed the questions: what do deans self-identify as their prominent leadership behavior and to what extent do deans use multiple leadership behaviors. The research of
Bolman and Deal (1984) provided the frames for analysis: structural, human resource, political, and symbolic frames. The study response rate was 50%. The findings of the study indicated that the majority of respondents perceived their primary leadership behavior as most closely matching the human resource frame. Results also indicated that a majority of respondents did not perceive that they exhibited multiple leadership behavior frames simultaneously in their leadership
behaviors.
The Bottom Line, 2007
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the needs to assess the value and impact of the... more Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the needs to assess the value and impact of the intangible resources and efforts produced by the library.
Design/methodology approach – A literature overview is used to provide the background of intangibles assessment and its application in libraries, with examples of library intangible resources used and efforts produced, and reviews the possible benefits for libraries in adopting and effectively
utilizing intangible assessment.
Findings – The library has multiple intangible assets, resources, and efforts it produces that are not generally accounted for in annual assessments, accountability reporting, or budget planning. Learning
to account for and include the intangibles used/produced by the library will increase the library’s capability to address accountability concerns of stakeholders, more effectively align the library’s resources with strategic responses, and more effectively utilize intangible assets and resources.
Originality/value – Increased reporting and usage of intangible resources/products by the library could provide library administrators with a proactive means of increasing the effectiveness and scope
of library assessment, valuation, and resource planning and usage.
Keywords Libraries, Financial management, Human capital, Intangible assets, Intellectual capital, Assessment
Paper type Conceptual paper
Technical Services Quarterly, 2008
Storytelling has been recognized as powerful for the classroom and for library programs promoting... more Storytelling has been recognized as powerful for the classroom
and for library programs promoting reading, but in recent years,
advocates promoting storytelling for the management of organizations
have also become active, especially in the private sector. Librarians can
benefit from the use of storytelling in managing organizations. This article promotes the adaptation and use of stories for managing libraries and examines the primary literature from the private sector and from professional library journals that promotes storytelling for management.
Because stories for management use real-life examples to address a specific purpose for management, the article discusses and describes the use of the springboard story, the primary form of storytelling in managing organizations, and also explains the qualities needed for this type of story. The article also includes a story that models these qualities.
Does Counting Count: An Evaluative Study of the Use and Impact of Performance Measurement in Florida Public Libraries, 2002
The purposes of the study were to identify the current use and perceived impact of performance me... more The purposes of the study were to identify the current use and perceived
impact of performance measurement (PM) in Florida public libraries and to determine whether a culture of assessment exists in Florida public libraries. The study seeks to determine the perceived impacts of PM, methods of data collection, resources expended to conduct PM, current PM methods employed by Library Administrative Units (LAU), use of information resulting from PM, and the types of participants involved in the PM process.
The survey was conducted using an evaluative mixed-methodology
research design. The study participants were the head public library
administrators of Florida’s seventy-five (75) public LAU. The study was
conducted in two phases: Phase I of the study was a self-administered
attitudinal-quantitative survey of the seventy-five Head Library Administrators (HLA) conducted by e-mail which yielded a 53.3% return rate. Respondents recorded current performance measurement practices, estimated resources expended to conduct PM, identified PM process participants, and perceptions of the impact and effectiveness of PM.
Phase II of the study consisted of a qualitative series of interviews
conducted by e-mail and telephone with Key Informants (Kl). KIs within and outside of the HLA population were interviewed to gather additional information on the history, current practices, and the future needs and developmental directions of PM in Florida’s public libraries.
The results of the study indicate that a wide variety of PM methods are
currently used in Florida public libraries with HLA perceiving marginal impact resulting from their use in their LAU. Study results indicate a culture of assessment does not currently exist in Florida public LAU. The study also concluded that Florida public LAU expended an estimated 7.9−7.9 - 7.9−16.1 million and used an estimated 335 - 609 staff FTE (not including training time) to conduct PM in FY 2000-2001.
Finally, the study results indicated the PM process in Florida LAU creates
Orphaned Data and Knowledge (ODK.) Recommendations of the study include: future research to determine how ODK is created and how ODK can be transformed into a beneficial resource; improving HLA’s use and understanding of the PM process.