I've Been Thinking...

In this "quest for quality" many business organizations are attempting to make major change through a "reengineering" or "reinventing" of themselves in an effort to provide a better product or service at a more competitive price. The reengineering of an organization requires a rigorous evaluation of all internal processes, procedures, and organization structures in order to learn how to serve better its external constituents. To reengineer is to drastically reorganize what currently exists. To "reinvent" is basically to start over and build a "new organization" out of the "raw materials" that remain from the past. For many, these two processes are phases of a larger concept of continuous improvement that is ongoing.

A comprehensive continuous improvement program is both internal and external and includes a continuous renewal of the organizational vision, mission, values, and culture. It has as its primary focus enhancing the quality of the product, the quality of service to the customer and the quality of the internal environment of the organization. Many CEOs in business organizations have found that these various efforts to reengineer and/or reinvent are ineffective and nearly useless unless there is positive change in all of these areas simultaneously. One CEO of a major international industry contends that if the internal organizational culture and environment is right, everything else will be right. He so states that "...employees must be valued, they must know they are valued, and they must be empowered to do their job...after all they know their jobs best." This is the fuel that runs and maintains a quality organization.

College- and university-based continuing education organizations are faced with a unique dilemma in their quest for quality. They produce a "business-like product" which must be sold to a "business-like clientele" according to "business-like standards" while existing in an academic setting. The measure and standards of the academic and the business community are quite different and are often in conflict. Inflexibility within personnel classification, promotions, and rewards; budgeting and finance; and academic credit systems are major obstacles to continuing education administrators for achieving "business-like operations" in a "business-like manner." Consequently, the fuel that feeds a successful continuous improvement process on a college campus must be somewhat different. To reengineer or restructure a unit on a campus requires many layers of involvement and approval not normally present in other organizations.

Operating within the framework of "The Academy," a continuing education organization can successfully implement a continuous improvement program and maintain a high standard of excellence for its clientele if it pays careful attention to the following:

• Remember the context of the setting and the foundations of the continuing education unit, its place in the larger organization of the institution and its sponsor.

• Reinforce the contextual setting and situation with all personnel to be involved, internal and external.

• Determine in advance where/what flexibility exists within the standards and regulations of the institution and its sponsor.

• Reevaluate the vision and mission of the unit and the institution...is the unit on track, focused, and in context?...what has changed?...what needs to change?

• Reevaluate the processes, procedures, organizational structures, and programs...do they accurately reflect the vision, mission, and contextual setting?

• Identify desirable and needed change...and plans to make them.

• Clearly define roles and responsibilities for all personnel.

• Secure consensus and commitment from all personnel within the organization, and from the institution and its sponsor.

• Communicate effectively throughout the process with all personnel within the unit, and all key individuals at all levels within the institution and its sponsors.

• Provide information, education, and training throughout the unit for all personnel during the process.