The EFQM Excellence Model is in use in many authorities throughout the UK. The Government recommends the use of the Model in both Modern Local Government: In Touch with the People, and Strong Local Leadership, Quality Public Services, as a tool to facilitate continuous improvement in providing best value services.
Some authorities have come under criticism for not being sufficiently challenging in their modernising programme and for not embracing performance management as a tool to facilitate change through learning and innovation.
This questionnaire seeks to understand the relationship between the use of the Model and innovation in local government service provision. It seeks to ascertain your views and experiences of using the Model, and to assess the effectiveness of the Model as not only a measurable model of continuous improvement but one that can be used to measure innovation. The findings from this survey will be used to identify good practice that other authorities can learn from.
Specifically, this questionnaire assesses:
1. The extent to which the EFQM Excellence Model is being used in UK local government 2. The extent to which using the Model has fostered uniformity or innovation, and produced tangible innovative outcomes such as improved services, improvement in staff morale, efficiency etc 3. How the Model could be used more effectively to facilitate the learning and innovation that it advocates
The questionnaire format follows those lines of questioning in the same order.
Definition of Innovation
In this study, innovation is as defined in the DETR publication "Innovation and Best Practice in Local Government", that is:
1. Discontinuous step change 2. Something completely new to the authority 3. A change which has already been implemented rather than just a new idea or planned initiative
This is distinct from 'best practice' which is merely learning from example and applying accordingly
A Guide for Respondents Completing the Questionnaire
PLEASE COMPLETE THE QUESTIONNAIRE ON BEHALF OF YOUR ORGANISATION. To complete the questionnaire it my be necessary to seek views from colleagues in your organisation. ALL RESPONSES ARE CONFIDENTIAL.
The questionnaire should take about 15 minutes to complete.
PLEASE COMPLETE THE SURVEY BY FRIDAY 13 JUNE 2003.
I may contact you after I have received your response to the questionnaire, to clarify or discuss your response.
If you have any questions about completion of the questionnaire, you may contact me on 01609 780 780 ext 3101. Alternatively, please e-mail me at: [email protected]
Section1 - Understanding use of the EFQM Excellence Model
The organisation has been using the Model for:
The Authority's CPA score is:
Section 2 - Measuring Innovation
The types of innovation that have occurred through using the Model are:
Section 3 - Does the Model Measure Up?
Contact Details (Optional)
Your contribution is much appreciated. I will donate £1.00 to the NSPCC on your organisation's behalf for your completed response. All respondents will also receive a copy of my final report.
|