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Learning Case 5
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Introduction
This case was written by Cecilia C. Dionco-Noble, MEd, MDM '99, under the supervision of Prof. Robert C. Bastillo, Asian Institute of Management (AIM). All case materials are prepared solely for the purposes of workshop discussion. The cases are neither designed nor intended as illustrations of correct or incorrect management of the problems or issues contained in the case. This case was written for the 2nd International Workshop on Strategic Management and Marketing of Training (SMMT-2). The workshop is a collaborative effort of World Bank Institute (WBI)/the World Bank, the Association of Development Financing Institutions in Asia and the Pacific (ADFIAP), and the AIM. Copyright © World Bank Institute (WBI) / The World Bank,1999. |
It was her first day of work after the International Institute for Rural Reconstruction (IIRR) has gone through a week-long brain-wracking and heart-wrenching Strategic Planning Workshop (SPW) from June 23-27,1999. Director Marisse Espinelli of IIRR’s Education and Training Dept. (ETD) was contemplating on two sets of materials spread all over her desk. On her right are the results and challenges posed by the SPW and on her left were the consolidated evaluation reports of their international courses for the last ten years. "This is where we want to go and this is where we are now? The task is move from here to there?" Marisse mumbled to herself.
Marisse’s eyes were glued at the growing list of IIRR competitors and the ever-changing landscape of capacity building in civil society. Opportunities for expanding markets abound due to the increasing professionalization of develop-ment workers. ETD’s role in the Institute was becoming more crucial while it is beset with the lack of strategic marketing systems, the pressing need for staff and curriculum develop-ment and other problems. How should she play her role? How can she take care of both clients and service providers? She wondered what tomorrow has for IIRR? And she remembered Peter Drucker, "The best way to predict the future is to create it." "Sure it is, but where do I begin?, Marisse sighed.
She was about to leave her desk when she stumbled over a strange envelope. It was the little gift that the SPW facilitator gave her during last week’s closing ceremony. He said it was a personally-made greeting card. She opened it and found interesting drawing. "Oh, a Quality Management Systems Framework, that facilitator, he never stops provoking", she whispered. The "card" immediately prompted her brains to work. She soon found her week planned for a self-assessment based on the QMS Framework. "I will consult the course teams and the various units and see how the various aspects of this Quality Management framework apply to us in the delivery of training services. I also think this is the best time to ask them how they find their work and what are their expectations for the next five years."
I. DAY ONE: THE INVISIBLE HAND OR THE DRIVING FORCES
Marisse devoted the first day to the assessment of the invisible forces that shape the direction of the ETD. They are not directly experienced by trainees or customers of ETD thus the term invisible forces. These include the external environmental forces, the vision-mission, philosophy of IIRR, its organizational culture and its leadership.
A. Background on the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR)
The International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR) was incorporated a U.S. registered foundation in October 20, 1960. It was a successor to the historic and revolutionary grassroots movement founded by Dr. Y.C. James Yen in China in the 1920s. It is based at the Y.C. James Yen Center, Silang, Cavite, Philippines. Based on the principles and approaches developed in China, various national rural reconstruction movements were later established in strategic locations throughout the world including Colombia, Ghana, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Philippines and Thailand. National and regional rural reconstruction associations in Bangladesh, Eastern Africa, Nepal, South Asia, and Thailand were also later established.
IIRR is a non-profit, non-government research and training organization committed to improving the quality of life of the rural poor in developing countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America through rural reconstruction. It employs a four-fold integrated approach to address the critical and inter-locking problems of poverty, illiteracy, disease and civic inertia through education, livelihood, health and self-government. More specifically, it focuses on three program areas namely: Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture; Community Health, Reproductive Health, and Nutrition; and Institutional Capacity Building.
IIRR is a world center dedicated to the generation, acquisition and dissemination of knowledge to improve the lives of the people in developing countries. It generates knowledge through field operational research projects in different countries and fulfills its sharing mission by strengthening the capacity of other rural development institutions through training, technical support and publications. It has become popular among development organizations and practitioners for its continuing advocacy for participatory methodologies not only in the conduct of its training and field operational research projects but through its publications generated through the workshop process.
B. External Environmental Assessment and Forces: Opportunities And Threats¹
The research on external environmental trends conducted for the IIRR Strategic Planning revealed a great array of opportunities facing IIRR but alongside these were formidable threats that needed to be neutralized.
Majority of the trends in development work are favorable to IIRR. First was the growing trend toward intersectoral collaboration which offers opportunities to enhance partnerships with various players in civil society. It was strategic because it provides the framework for sharing resources in the context of declining support to NGDOs. It also provides the impetus for asserting IIRR’s institutional position as the umbrella organization and primary partner of national rural reconstruction movements in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Second was the increasing participation of private sector in development is another interesting development because it broadens the base for social mobilization and resource generation. Third was the sudden shift by most international NGOs and governments to capacity building. IIRR’s capacity building and facilitation experience will play a crucial role in this transition period. Specific to governance, third world countries have moved towards decentralization and were attempting to become transparent. However they had limited capacity to operationalize their goals and projects. There was an opportunity for IIRR to extend expertise in building the capacity of these governments to actual their vision of local governance. Fourth was the increasing professionalization of development workers. This is an opportunity for ETD to expand its market for its training programs. Moreover, it compels it to be more serious and dynamic in its quest for global competitiveness.
Other opportunities directly affect the specific areas of IIRR’s current involvement. Trends in environment and natural resources management emphasized popular participation, small scale projects with rapid users-benefits and increased use of indigenous conservation practices. These things perfectly corresponded with IIRR’s emphasis and values of social laboratory --small scale demonstrations and deliberate integration of indigenous knowledge and participatory approaches. Specific to Africa, the growing recognition of efforts to ensure social justice, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms are now allowing room for peace building. Peace will in turn provide time and opportunities for development organizations as the national rural reconstruction movements to insist their agenda of rebuilding lives and communities.
In terms of threats, poverty is expected to increase in the next century. By the year 2000, half of the people in Sub-Saharan Africa will be poor (World Bank standard of $1/day living). In Latin America, income poverty is more pervasive than human poverty –affecting 10 million people and it continues to grow. Another threat is population explosion. The increasing population, especially of the poor, means more demand for rural development workers’ services amidst a strain on very limited resources of the development sector. The issue of dwindling funds, declining aid and shifting priorities of donor agencies is a major threat to NGDOs. Human security is under siege. It presents not only additional but also a relatively new intervention field in development work. The United National Development Programme (UNDP) concluded that in 1998, there had been major advancements made in human development but it brought along critical setbacks and inequalities that present major challenges to NGDO work.
In sum, the external environment presents significant opportunities and critical threats to IIRR as an international organization involved in rural development work. Its four-interlocking solutions to four basic problems confronting humanity: education, health, livelihood and self-government continue to be relevant. However, various thematic areas of development work have mushroomed in the past 20 years and the coverage of the integrated approach has become much wider and focused. Professor Bobby Bastillo presented this in his synthesis and his model of Human Development integrates the four-fold program with the current global situation and development sector trends. Please refer to the Environmental Assessment Model on Annex A.
THE EDUCATION AND TRAINING DEPARTMENT (ETD)
ETD was under the Office of the Vice President. It was headed by Director Marissa Espinelli who has been with IIRR since 1987. She was a participant at the Strategic Management and Marketing of Training Course conducted by AIM last August 1998. Under Marisse are seven training specialists, one Learning Resource Officer, six training support staff, one project assistant, one materials manager and three administrative staff. Specifically ETD was affected by decreased support from its main funding source the USAID. The rapid industrialization in the province where the Institute is located was a source of weakness. It was threatened by the increasing number of organizations into participatory development approaches and the aggressiveness of its competitors in selling their programs and services. Some products and services were similar to that of IIRR.
C. Philosophy/Vision & Mission/Organizational Culture
The philosophy, vision-mission and organizational culture were powerful driving forces commanding the leadership and management of the institution. IIRR is prominent in the international development community for the RR Philosophy.
1. Philosophy, Principles and Practice of Rural Reconstruction
The philosophy of Rural Reconstruction (RR) was a humanist and people-centered philosophy of development. It evolved out of the experiences of Dr. Y.C. James Yen and his colleagues in their work among the Chinese peasants during the formative years of the Movement in the 1920’s – 1930’s. It had a vision of what the rural poor can do for himself and his family, his community, his nation, and the world.
Rural Reconstruction believes that…
The Credo of Rural Reconstruction Go to the peasant people Not relief but release! |
The philosophy and principles were the guideposts by which RR workers throughout the world put into practice RR. It was humanist and people-centered in character and it underscored the participatory nature of IIRR training activities.
2. 1999 Vision and Mission
Consistent with the RR Philosophy, IIRR revised its new vision, mission and values given its new direction, challenges, capabilities and potentials. The Board, management and staff crafted and approved these during the June 1999 SPW held at the Yen Center.
Exhibit 1. The 1999 Vision, Mission and Values of IIRR.
IIIR Vision We envision a world where: Equity, justice and peace prevail. Society at large works with and enables the poor to improve their lives. The poor overcome poverty by developing their capacities and communities to the fullest The environment is preserved for future generations. All people achieve their full potential and lives of quality and dignity.
IIRR Mission Our mission is to: Work with the poor and their communities as their partner in enabling them to improve their lives and achieve their full potential. Learn and document from our work both practical and innovative solutions to the challenges facing the poor, their communities and the natural environment. Share our learning and field-based experience through education, training and communication. Join with partners in global development to promote and achieve equity, justice and peace for all.
IIRR Values Building on a heritage of people-centered development: We live our Credo. Our Credo is the basis of our work. We strive for excellence. We believe in character, competence, commitment and creativity. We come from diverse cultures. We value and respect one another. We work as teams. We believe in mutual knowledge, mutual trust, mutual respect and mutual help. We represent many disciplines. We work together in an inter-disciplinary mode. We value open and clear communication among ourselves and with others. We work hard. We are happy, committed and caring human beings. |
3. Organizational Culture
Organizations enjoying success have a corporate culture that endure while their institutional strategies and practices consistently adapt to the changing and competitive world. The IIRR organizational culture would be expressed in the vision, mission, values, traditions, and meanings developed and practiced by its management and staff. Its collective pride on the RR philosophy and principles were a distinct IIRR trademark and the people carried this in the manner they conduct activities. It was also worthwhile to notice the helping and respectful culture of IIRR staff. This was especially observed among ETD staff, more popularly known as the "town crier" of the Institute. ETD was the repository of knowledge and the staffs update the other members on the latest in the field. They were the ones who said that IIRR no longer has the monopoly of participatory methodologies as a result of their field interactions. In general, IIRR has a very strong institutional culture. It was very proud of its James Yen origins and its 35 years of rural development experience.
D. Leadership And Management Style
IIRR's leadership and management style was a product of its history, tradition of great leaders and philosophy of rural reconstruction. It was important to understand its history in order to understand its management style.
YC James Yen: A Visionary and Charismatic Founder
Born in rural Sechuan in 1893, and educated at the Yale and Princeton, Dr James Yen volunteered during World War I to serve Chinese coolies working with the Allies in France. He taught them to read and write. The experienced convinced him that coolies lack not intelligence, but opportunity. Jimmy Yen then dedicated his life to education of the ping-min (the common people), first in China and then in the third world. James Yen never retired. When he died at 96, he was still planning the future of IIRR.
IIRR’s Tradition of Good Leadership
1. Dr James Yen was succeeded in 1975 by Dr Juan M. Flavier, recruited and the former President of the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement. During his time, Flavier wore three managerial hats –program, administration and fundraising. It was during his leadership that IIRR won a Ramon Magsaysay Award for (1986 - named after a late President of the Philippines, the Awards are the Asian equivalent of the Nobel Prize that recognizes outstanding achievement in the natural and social sciences) being an outstanding institution in development work. In 1994, the Board of Trustees confirmed the appointment of Mr John Rigby as the third President of IIRR. Following Rigby’s retirement, the Board appointed Dr Pratima Kale, former UNICEF Executive Director to be President for the next five years. Dr Kale is dynamic, candid and her personal and professional reputation in the development community is excellent. Her first major activity at IIRR was a Strategic Planing Process.
2. IIRR had a vision of ONE WORLD, ONE FAMILY and it strives to live up to this motto. Activities such as trainings are conducted as a team effort. Everybody in the Institute is involved and the different units –Executive Office, Finance, Publications, Logistics Support Unit, etc have significant roles to play. Preparation and delivery of services is actually shared but credit goes to the unit spearheading the activity. This concern was expressed in the Unburdening Workshop in May 1999, prior to the SPW.
The value that service providers as support staffs to the training process must be recognized. This was a function of leadership and management style. Marisse remembered her notes on quality - "Quality depends upon a vision of excellence and that vision becomes a reality through excellent, compelling leadership (Whiteley, 1990). The leadership and management style of the training manager besides the knowledge, skills and attitudes brings about the success in facing the challenges and changes in the training process."
II. DAY TWO: BACKROOM OPERATIONS
Day two was set aside for examining backroom operations. Backroom operations exist to create and support good performance for front stage workers. "If backstage workers fail to perform their support tasks properly, the impact will be quickly felt by both service providers and customers." Marisse realized that indeed much operations work was done behind the scenes and it was relevant only to the extent that it results in creation and delivery of a good product. But she wondered if they are getting the credit they deserved for a job well done because they sure become very visible when things screw-up. For example, nobody remembered the equipment maintenance group when the sound system was well. But when it started to perform poorly, he got all the blame. Marisse intended to dig deeper into the backroom operations.
A. Strategy
Strategy 1: Establish state of the art "learning communities" in Asia, Africa and Latin America with a global discovery and learning better in the Philippines. Learning communities are key direct-impact and continuous learning activities of IIRR. They will involve as many staff and disciplines as possible working together, that is, "multidisciplinary teams working in an interdisciplinary mode".
Strategy 2: Develop distinctive body of knowledge from experiences and learning and from linking of IIRR action research with other development research activities. It will integrate and institutionalize the experiences/learnings of its regional programs into the institutional body of knowledge. It will pursue the development of institutional system, structures and resources to allow the staff to "do the work".
Strategy 3: Develop Yen Center as a vibrant global center for training, knowledge and exchange and reflection. The Yen Center will serve as the integration center for learnings from the regional operations.
Strategy 4: Share knowledge systematically. IIRR will systematically assess its sharing effort to improve sharing process and follow/track quality results. It will use technology in sharing, secure grants for fellowships and developing internal capacities for sharing and build database as basis for improving/assessing sharing strategies.
Strategy 5: Establish vibrant partnerships at all levels enhancing learning and sharing processes. Internal capacity building on partnership building and collaboration will be pursued on negotiation, conflict resolution, communication, public relations, and participatory planning, process, and methods.
The SPW also formulated generic strategies for all goals. Among which is diversifying fund sourcing mechanism and sources. They will also pursue measuring the IMPACT on people (communities, natural resource, partnerships) and learning from all strategies/activities. They will make internal financial and administrative systems more effective and transparent. They will also enhance staff support and provide opportunities for full development. Marisse and the ETD staff were pleased with the list of strategies for they truly address the needs and challenges facing Training.
Marketing: A Core Strategy
Client experiences provide very good materials for improving the training service strategy. The manager and staff of IIRR share with ETD not only the work but the memories they have of the training participants. "There are certain things that customers remember about IIRR. The cafeteria is one source of delight. As it said, the shortest way to a client’s approval rating is through his stomach," narrates Tessa Perez, IIRR’s Logistic’s Support Unit Manager. "Participants strongly remember IIRR for the Rural Reconstruction Philosophy. They say it is very powerful. They also remember us for our training processes. When they go back to their respective training institutions, it’s the first thing that they apply. They find our methodologies very useful", adds Director Jun Imperial of the Regional Office for Asia.
Marisse was struck by those comments. And she remembered the discussions at the SPW. IIRR can market in two things. One is through its core competencies –"things that are distinctively yours". They may be conscious in selling it or not. They are above the competition when it comes to those core competencies. Core competencies is a source of competitive advantage that has the potential breadth of application and is difficult for competitors to imitate. Second, is through meeting people’s expectations about the course. She realized that when people’s expectations are met, they tend to remember the little "add-ons". Things not central to the product, but makes them happy. Experience had taught her that they can afford not to be distinct about core attributes, but they should be unique when it comes to the add-ons. Satisfiers are the minimums that a product should have without which it will not qualify in the market. Dissatisfiers are not part of the minimum but when a product has it, it makes it distinct from the others. IIRR has to seriously consider its dissatisfiers. It was the extra effort of the staff, the environment, the methodologies - the so called "many petals of the service flower".
She taught of their market niche. "A niche is more narrowly defined group, typically a small market whose needs are not being well-served." An attractive niche are customers with a distinct and complete set of needs. IIRR offers customized training, too and their study program is one good example. Marisse surveyed the list of their present markets: primary, intermediary organizations, government (local, national agency), professional development organizations, networks, service deliverers and various interest groups. How should she position IIRR?
She also taught about how their communication, advertising and promotion strategies and activities.
Table 1.Current Communication, Advertising and Promotion
| Activities | Responsible | Means | Indicators |
| 1. Review of list of organization to which information courses are to be sent | Course Coordinator | Meeting, research | At least 1,000 names of contact persons listed |
| 2. Review existing brochures and information materials sent to clients | Course Coordinator | Meeting | To emphasize product distinctiveness |
| 3. Send information to development journals, magazines and newsletters to announce the course | Course and Technical Coordinators | Mail, fax, buy ad space | At least 3 journals per region to announce the course |
| 4. contact donors that would sponsor participants | VP for Programs | Personal contacts | 30% of the target participants gets funding support |
B. Program Development
IIRR training programs consist of the international courses ETD offers. These courses were conducted in two ways. First, as exclusive training courses as the Rural Development Management and Development and Management of a Training Program. Second as support programs of IIRR major programs. Examples of these are Sustainable Agriculture for Small-Scale Farmers, Training of Trainers on Sustainable Agriculture and Farmer Led Extension are training courses under the Environment and Natural Resources and Agriculture (ENRA) program component. These are done in collaboration with the Technical Specialists Group (TSG). The Course on Systems in Community Managed Health is conducted with the TSG-health program specialists. Other training courses were implemented in collaboration with and other partners include Food Security. It was a joint-effort with the Rural Reconstruction Alumni and Friends Association, an NGO based in Bangkok, Thailand. The Environmental management Training on Integrated Conservation and Development was done in collaboration with CARE-Nepal. In the continuing evolution of these programs, the viable fit between the organization’s objectives, skills and resources and its changing market opportunities and requirements are always considered. The idea was to shape and re-shape the organization’s products to suit client demands and to be globally competitive. Please refer to Annex B for the 1999 IIRR Training Courses.
C. Structure
The service delivery structure was a priority for Marisse. She knew the structure of an organization determines the system of working relationships. It provided a framework for dividing and coordinating tasks of people and groups of people working toward a common purpose. Within the ETD structure was a dynamic coordination process of linking specialized activities of course teams, support staff and other units. Marisse had always encouraged her staff to master the "art and politics of good coordination". For indeed, coordination is vital to ETD work. It provides systems and mechanisms for understanding and communicating tasks and working harmoniously amidst pressures from different sources.
D. Systems and Processes
Management systems and processes improve both quality and productivity. Organizations differ in quality of the systems they develop and maintain depending on the results achieved.
Information Analysis and Management Information Systems
As part of the SPW preparation, ETD embarked on market study of their competitors in the different courses they are offering. The pursuit was inspired by the dictum - "He who has the power of timely and accurate information rules." The staff realized that if they are going to be competitive they have to know their competitors. This entails acquiring information on the institutions, their products and the markets. It is in here where the role of the IIRR Central Management Information System (MIS) Unit is seen as very valuable. Decisions must be backed by accurate, adequate and timely information. Marisse knew this, hence, her ardent support to the move to upgrade the capabilities of their present "one-computer to one–user" Central MIS. The current database was loaded with information useful to the course teams, however, the staffs are yet to be trained on how to use. Information analysis and the management of information technology (IT) continuously integrated by the training institution into their practices to ensure competitiveness and relevance to its constituents
Monitoring and Evaluation
Next in Marisse’ assessment list was monitoring and evaluation. Monitoring and evaluation are the processes used by organizations to collect and use feedback. They are linked to planning and decision-making. Monitoring helps clarify program objectives, link activities and input to those objectives, set quantitative targets, collect data routinely and feed results directly to those responsible. Evaluation looks at why and how results were or were not achieved, links specific activities to overall results, includes broader outcomes that are not readily quantifiable, explores unintended results, and provides generalizable lessons for adjustments to programs and policies to improve results. ETD has its own framework for monitoring and evaluation developed by its Lead Evaluator, Mae Arevalo. There were after-session evaluation, team evaluation, overall course evaluation and daily and informal feedbacking.
Other systems include technology systems and internal management systems. Technology provide a competitive advantage in training service at all fronts. A barrier to future management systems is the lack of focus on new training demands and innovations. Marisse was worried about this problem. There are only one or two computers available for training participants. Internal management systems consist of the many mechanisms that guide interactions among people to ensure that ongoing work is accomplished rather than hindered. They include planning, communication, decision-making, problem solving, monitoring and evaluation. Every piece of work in an organization goes through these systems. ETD was relatively efficient when it comes to internal communication. It has internal office memos and its bulletin boards update the staff and participants on what is going inside the Silang Campus.
Service Process
A service process has a front stage and back stage operations. The backstage are the systems and processes supporting the front stage. Marisse learned that a well designed service process appears seamless and logical, even when it involves multiple steps and service and is delivered by a variety of employees performing specialized functions. "What’s needed is to begin with a vision of the overall process and then to weave together its constituent elements. Redesigning an existing service requires determining what the process currently looks like and then comparing reality with a new vision. There can be no hope of progress without knowledge of the process." They were reminded of an anecdote…
IIRR had a self-service policy in the Cafeteria. Staffs and clients are expected to get their food and to put soiled dishes in the counter after they finished eating. One time, there were guest who happen to be consultants and they enjoyed their meal. They were exchanging very good comments about the food and the facilities. However, when they set to move, they did not put away their trays and there was a polite but loud reminder from a canteen staff –"you’re supposed to bring the dishes to the kitchen counter" in the native tongue. The guests were surprised and so were the other people in the canteen at that time. Instinctively, the guests went back to put away their dishes mumbling apologies in the process. But they were wondering whether it was appropriate to remind guests within hearing distance of everyone. They were a bit embarrassed and guilty.
The guests were not informed of the policy. The SELF-SERVICE sign at the counter perhaps was not enough. They were not aware that the self-service process was before and after they eat. There should be a process of orienting guests on these very critical policies for stories like these would sure go a long way.
III. DAY THREE: FRONT STAGE OPERATIONS
The task for the third day for was to take a closer look at front-stage operations. Fronts-stage operations involve customers in service delivery and entail interaction between them and facilities, equipment, employees and other customers. This is where actual good or poor performance is delivered and judged.
1. Faculty and Staff
IIRR had training teams called Course Teams. The training ream was composed of a technical person on a particular program and a training coordinator. Technical persons have diverse expertise and among which are Watershed management, Rural development management, Community health, Integrated conservation and development, Sustainable agriculture, People credit development and management, Aquaculture development, Institutional capacity building, Training for development, Farmer led extension, Community organizing. On the other hand, training specialists were experts on participatory and creative methodologies. The Course teams supported by their particular group of administrative staff do everything for the course including –training design, needs assessment, marketing and actual training. Training specialists are assisted by training aids in the conduct of the training. A materials management person and a an administrative person provide support everytime there are trainings. Please see Annex C for the Role of Course Teams.
Training methodologies included interactive lecture, role play, field visit and a host of creative teaching and learning methods. "Our methodologies focus on engaging an inquiring mind and the idea was to generate a lot of questions so a participative process can transpire", Marisse explained.
But like other IIRR units, ETD was beset with difficulties and these surfaced in the SPW sessions. One, the staff have uneven competencies. Some trainers have been with the IIRR for several years, some are very new but very committed and talented. Still there was the problem of differing understanding about IIRR strategies and frameworks of practice between the old-timers who have actually worked with Dr James Yen and the newcomers. Two is the lack of a Staff Development Plan. There are opportunities for staff development but there is no strategic and official Human Resource Development Plan that is backed by resources.
This was actually Marisse’s dilemma. If IIRR would pursue its agenda of competitiveness, management has to invest on institutional capability building, especially the build-up of human capital. Her hope was tied on the very good solutions drafted during the SPW sessions. Her problems had been recognized and solutions are underway. It was just a matter of following up and advocating for better ETD support.
2. Training Design
At IIRR, the development of a particular training course normally would take two years. Initiatives on developing a course may come from the Technical Specialist Group (TSG), particular stakeholders or experts intend to pursue a specific program/course. The Course Teams usually took charge of the developing processes. They also do training needs assessment (TNA). Sometimes TNAs were done prior to the participants arrival through the provision of questionnaires that they submit together with their application. In some cases, ETD would conduct the TNA and this extended to other stakeholders of the program. Just recently, Marisse conducted a TNA of their International Course on Systems in Community Managed Health (ICSCMH). She communicated with international and local health NGDOs and asked them their particular training needs on community managed health systems. A number of the respondents replied and their recommendations were incorporated in the ICSCMH training design. Customized courses are provided upon request. ETD organizes content-specific training programs, such as workshops and workstudy programs. These courses were conducted at the Yen Center at the Silang Campus, elsewhere in the Philippines and overseas.
IIRR has a rigorous and meticulous process of evaluating and revising their training design. Every year there would be reviews and adjustments going through a rigorous process. New courses usually took longer and intense reviews while the established ones as ICRDM and CMHS would get fewer and minor revisions.
The review process was managed by the course teams and supervised by Marisse. The review of evaluation pass through several of officers from the Vice President for Programs, the TSG and other experts involved. They would hold meetings for the comments and suggestions. After which the course team would make the necessary inputs and revisions to the course design. The new design would then be routed to the same offices for additional inputs. These would normally be inputs on content areas and trends. Another meeting would be held to finalize and approve the course design. Marisse characterized this process as very serious and rigorous because they believed that the training design is a determinant of the success of the overall training.
An equally significant concern was the capability building of the IIRR training pool. ETD had for a long-time desired the quality of the design to have an interface with the actual delivery of the course. They had wanted to build their training capability to respond flexibly and fast to the varying levels of participant exposure, sophistication and demands. Often their assumptions were incorrect. There were a lot of things they were unable to control and guest resource participants would be a classic example. The ultimate desire of the course team was to develop IIRR capacity so that they would not have to rely on outsiders, especially the inflexible ones. The dream was to have a training pool who would be generalists and/or specialists depending on the nature of the participants.
3. Training Service Delivery
IIRR offers training courses on a range of topics. These courses are designed for development managers and leaders and focus on field experiences and participatory approaches. They draw on IIRR’s 35 years of work in development and on the experience of participants and collaborating organizations. Courses are typically 2-4 weeks long. They combine interactive presentations, discussions, hands-on exercises and field visits, majority feature action planning. Participants formulate plans to put into practice on their return home. Application requirements for all of the course offerings are standard: at least three years of experience in development work, English proficiency, physical fitness (with evidence of a medical certificate) and certificate of financial support from nominating/sponsoring agency.
ETD followed the division of tasks in the Roles of Course Teams. Trainings were a concerted effort among the different units of the IIRR – Logistics Support Unit who is in charge of the facilities and secretarial support, Learning Resource Center (LRC), Publications Unit and other Administrative staff. Consider the role and experience of LRC Officer, Ms Nenet Cruz.
Exhibit 1. Excerpts from the Interview with Ms Nenet Cruz, LRC Officer.
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"My role as the LRC Officer is to make all the
services of the Learning Resource Center available to all staff, guests/visitors and to
the training participants. LRC collections cater to the diversified needs of the
participants e.g. gender, poverty, agriculture, environment, participatory approaches,
indigenous knowledge, etc. Professionally and personally, I am involved in many of the
activities of the ETD such as: - Preparing profiles of different countries represented by the training participants and have it displayed as an exhibit in the training hall and available at the opening of the course. I find this very significant to the training participants as a starting point for them to introduce and present their own countries to other participants. They also use these profiles in making country presentations usually in the first module of the course. They also request us to reproduce copies of these profiles to bring home with them. -Providing the training coordinators and staff, as resource person, or assist them in retrieving training/learning materials which they can use in their presentation, as well as, reading materials for the training participants.
" I open the LRC during lunch time or even after 5:00 till 7:00 pm or during Saturdays and assist the training participants find the information they need. Training coordinators inform us ahead of the schedule regarding special evening and weekend arrangements. One major project of ETD is the Sustainable Agriculture Training of Trainors Program. LRC plays a major role in this Project in the provision of educational materials to its 13 partner organizations. I prepare annotated bibliographic listings of reading materials on sustainable agriculture and training and send it to the partner organizations for them to come up with a priority list and we do the purchasing and send these publications to them. At the end of the project, a resource book has to be done and we are also involved in the compilation of the materials for this resource book". "I sometimes serve as facilitator ins the conduct village studies which usually last for 3-5 days. In the presentation of the action plans, I also serve as reactor. Last but not the least, 7. I also do some marketing efforts of the training courses among network members." |
However, a comment made on the SPW was that IIRR must develop courses, program and instructional techniques or methods responsive to the true needs of the student and not the institution. This she was able to validate with Nenet Cruz, the LRC Officer and her probing yielded more.
Nenet found the IIRR training process highly participatory and field oriented. "Discussions with the resource persons/facilitators/training coordinators would spill out even after the sessions. There was a healthy combination of theory and field-based experiences using real life situation with the communities. Facilitators have a way of synthesizing each training session - brief but very clear. This was made possible by a training design was very systematic/logical sequencing. Library services was a constant source of delight. There was always the presence of training coordinator/technical coordinator in every session."
But Nenet admitted to a lot of room for improvement. To her the biggest challenge wascompetition. Specifically, competing with other development organizations offering the same course at a lower fee. Another challenge was how to penetrate development workers working in NGOs and Gos in the Philippines. Next was to develop a pool of resource persons within IIRR, not to rely on outside resource persons. And the most pressing issue was decreasing field-based experiences because this is supposed to be IIRR’s cutting edge." To this, Nenet offered some suggestions. On the training process - more small group workshop rather than lecture type. The allocation of free time in the day for special sessions and not encroaching on the resting periods of the participants. Because whether we like it or not training workshops are viewed as a form of vacation, hence overburdening participants with too much work is a source of not-so good memories. Lastly, training designs must strive to be need-based in order to be more relevant, effective and useful."
4. Learning Environment
The training institution is responsible for maintaining a learning environment that is safe, healthy and promoting creativity and productivity. LSU helps ETD deliver this. The IIRR facilities carry the theme "Communing with Nature".
IIRR operates from its 50-hectare international center in the Philippines, fully equipped with training facilities including training and conference rooms, audio-visual equipment and three hostels and a cafeteria. It is only 40 kilometers south of Manila and located 1,000 feet above sea level for a cool and relaxed atmosphere away from the traffic and heat. The Institute also has recreational facilities including a swimming pool, multi-purpose court, nature trails, picnic and campsites and a rich collection of flora and fauna. The campus is ideal for training events, seminars, conferences and other activities that require an ambience of peace and quiet concentration. It is just 20 minutes from the resort town of Tagaytay, with its breathtaking views of Lake Taal and Volcano Island. IIRR is close enough to Manila to allow easy access to educational, transport, shopping and entertainment facilities.
Conference and training facilities were spacious and conducive for interactive learning. The lecture hall was a fully-equipped session room with audio-visual equipment and sound-proof booths for observation, recording and translation services. The modular tables can be rearranged to suit the requirements of any group. The hall can seat up to 50 people. Several smaller meeting rooms seat 8-20 people each. Outdoor learning facilities included the "Campsite" and kiosks. Used for informal meetings and social functions, the two open-sided "campsite" halls can seat up to 40 people for meetings. They could accommodate up to 200 people for social functions. Ideal for small workshop groups, three kiosks located near the lecture hall can accommodate up to 10 people each. Audio-visual equipment and services were available to participants. Audio-visual equipment includes overhead projectors, televisions, video and audio casette recorders, slide projectors, chalk boards and whiteboards. Qualified technicians were on hand to set up and maintain equipment. Translation and recording services were available on request. Generators ensured minimal interruptions to the power supply. The Institute library carries a modest collection of literature on rural reconstruction and development subjects. It maintained a growing collection of slide-tape and video programs, with emphasis on environment and sustainable agriculture.
For accommodations, three hostels contain a total of 63 guest rooms able to accommodate up to 108 people. A newly constructed hostel, completed in 1995, offers 24 rooms with twin beds and private bathrooms. The second hostel has 20 rooms and the third hostel has 19 rooms; both with 2 or 3 beds and shared bathrooms. All hostels have common reception areas. A self-contained three-bedroom guest cottage was made available for groups of up to 10 people; it can also serve as a venue for sessions.
IIRR’s cafeteria offered varied menu, from regular service to international-quality buffets. The self-service dining area can seat up to 150 people. Catering can be provided at other venues on the IIRR campus on requests. Special meals can be prepared for participants with dietary restrictions. Transportation services are at hand. A 25-seat bus, three 15-seat vans, sedan cars and four-wheel-drive vehicles are available. Rates differ according to the type of vehicle and distance IIRR staff are well-remembered for their efficiency and patience in waiting for arriving participants. They had two-way radios and "airport passes to facilitate their work.
The Institute’s recreation facilities provided good fitness repertoire. Participants can relax after a hard day’s work, i.e., if they do not have night sessions. There was a 15-meter swimming pool and basketball/volleyball court are open to conference and training participants. Equipment for badminton, table tennis and board games such as chess and scrabble may also be borrowed. The campus is an ideal place for walking, jogging and cycling. There was a three-kilometer nature trail winding along a picturesque river valley in the campus nature serve.
In general, IIRR learning environment, enjoyed very positive evaluation. Participants like it because it is very conducive for learning, they are able to concentrate, they can do walking and other forms of exercise such as swimming. Technology environment is improving. IIRR recently bought a video projector for computer-based presentations. Participants find the LRC very useful with its rich collection of development management materials. The Publications Unit is well-loved for its world class books, kits and inexpensive materials. The dormitories are enjoyed with its repertoire of "exciting nocturnal sounds" that drive away homesickness. The rooms are very well-ventilated. No need for air conditioning. To this LSU Manager Tessa Perez added, Most participants like the food and they say the servings are plenty. They found the people very congenial, hospitable and helpful. Nonetheless, there were a few negative comments "Some participants say they feel they are on a house arrest. They are looking for night life. They feel the gate is too far. So, we support them with transportation and coordinate with the gate guards. But overall, people like the environment because of the fresh air, they can concentrate because the place is enclosed. They like the home atmosphere best."
IV. DAY FOUR: IMMEDIATE RESULTS, INTERMEDIATE EFFECTS AND LONG-TERM IMPACTS
The fourth day in the assessment schedule is seriously allotted for examining the results and impact of ETD training services for the last ten years.
A. Program and School Performance Results
The performance stage encompasses the broad base of improvement measures, trends and excellent performance levels of the institutions. It should also be compared with the performance of other local schools in the same category. And, to add the global competitiveness dimension, a comparison must be made with similar training institutions in Asia, Africa and Latin America.
B. Industry/Sector/Area Needs Assessment
Concerning impact on the lives of the poor, ETD measured impact through the performance of the development professionals they train. A change in attitude reflected in the way development professionals facilitate development processes with their partners in the communities and their own processes within their organizations. The change in attitude influences the whole process, a process respectful of their capabilities and conditions, building confidence and enabling people to make informed choices. Director Espinelli had seen these conditions in their own social laboratory. She had also visited alumni projects and had seen these changes and she agreed that a purposive scientific study needs to be done.
A contributing factor to the lack of data on client impact was the absence of guidelines on monitoring roles and responsibilities within units including codification and abstraction of field-based learning for sharing. The root cause is the lack of staff skills and capability on doing monitoring work. There is also a need to document, package and disseminate the impact of IIRR work to alumni and national rural reconstruction movements to gather support from these groups as well as to potential partners.
IIRR should seek to develop its capacity to assess the results and impact of its activities and programs (over and above continuation of its high-quality reporting activities), to analyze data (not merely to collect data), and to set out further criteria for evaluating the impact of IIRR as an institution and its international, regional and local programs. What is not measured is not valued.
The demand for IIRR services had risen for the last 5 years. This could be an indicator, that many development organizations start to find out that what we have been doing after all makes sense. There is so much demand for training courses and study programs and consultancy or technical support. I do not think it is a matter of spreading too thin. I think it is a matter of really prioritizing what really matters for IIRR, which activities/projects would be more strategic for IIRR to undertake. The way things are happening, organizing training and study programs are more and more getting unpredictable. While it offered packaged training programs which it markets every year, the turn out of participants cannot also be predicted.
C. Person Benefits Optimally
Since 1960, IIRR was able to train 10,000 individuals and provided assistance to over 2000 organizations. IIRR finds difficulty in demonstrating results and impact of its work on the lives of the rural poor and other target groups. The reason behind was the lack of an effective monitoring and evaluation that defines qualitative and quantitative indicators, sources of information and methods of data gathering and analysis. There was no data on client impact just evaluation summaries.
D. Client-Service Provider Focus
The client-service provider focus was not only about client satisfaction and delight but service provider’s as well. It was a powerful paradigm because as service providers get their fulfillment they derive self-motivation to improve and work harder. This could add a lot to the service value chain.
Table 2. Summary of Evaluation Results of IIRR Training Courses
| Title of the Course | Program and School Performance Results | Industry/Sector/Area Needs Assessment | Person Benefits Optimally | Client-Service Provider Focus |
| Rural Development Management Course | 100% Response to meeting expectations Suitable and well-sequenced topics Modules and methodologies were helpful in the formulation of action plans |
Competitive to those offered by Asian and European-based development training institutions | Most important learnings cited: strategic planning and
managing people
|
Considered IIRR’s flagship course Both client and service provider derive fulfillment in the course Training Teams got favorable comments on the 3 C’s of RR worker (character, commitment and competence) |
| Regenerative Agriculture and Home Gardening Courses | The design is generally good Field visit and participatory method preferred |
Has a fairly large market but course design and delivery needs further refinement | Most important learnings: Rural Reconstruction Philosophy BIG Technology PRA and farmer approach to technology development and dissemination Participatory methods |
Very good coordination, good balance of theory and practice |
| International Course on Systems in Community Managed Health | Design is highly acceptable Course management is very good |
Competitive but there is a large room for improvement | Generally successful in meeting objectives | Better selection of participants has been recommended for the optimum benefit of both trainees and trainers |
| Study Programs | Attraction to IIRR is its rich history as an NGDO, participatory methods and world class programs and publications | Customized training is the trend nowadays Funding sources are available | Most important learning: Action planning Participatory human development concept of Health Global perspectives Training process and communication |
Program needs to be enhanced for the benefit of both client and service provider |
V. DAY FIVE: IDEAL VERSUS REALITY
A. The Ideal Service Scenario
Product Plus Management and the Value Imperative
Marisse believed that ETD held the responsibility to create value for its customers. She knew how a mutually rewarding relationship implies one in which the benefits outweigh the costs. The term "value" is one that is widely but rather loosely used. In reality, organizations succeed in the long-term by offering their customers better value than competitors. It is done by creating a productive operation that offers consistent quality, employing people and suppliers who see value in their relationship with the organization and creating value for the owners in the form of distributed profits and growing equity in the business. Pursuing congruence among these goals in an increasingly competitive economy is the essence of the famous "product plus management". The common imperative is value. Marisse realized ETD can add value to every step of the process and a technique called flowcharting occurred to her. Another challenge to the management of the training programs is bringing order to the processes they use so they can improve its customer’s experience. She had found another tool to employ in addition to the QMS Framework --Flowcharting.
Marisse recalled her previous training on the "Strategic Management of Trainings". The professor explained –"Simple flowcharting can usefully be applied to any type of service where management wants to gain a better understanding of the customer’s experience of service delivery. By flowcharting the process, step by step from start to finish, managers can understand the service drama from the perspective of a particular type of a customer." She remembered the discussions with her fellow trainees and the conclusions were. "Flowcharting yields the best results when it is applied to analysis of specific situations. It can prevent failures at each point in an existing process and making sure that each step is delivered in ways that will match customer expectations. But polishing existing processes until they shine, both front stage, is not the only way to go. For many employees, the most important single learning point from creating a flowchart may be the realization that they are actually members of the team." People love to see their role as an important part of a bigger endeavor, Marisse recalled having pointed out this to her discussion group.
No matter how rigorous the presentations are, the unexpected may still happen. One time there was a participant who missed his plane and had to wait for another flight schedule. He had to spend Christmas away from his family. Things like these do happen and IIRR can only do so much, to avoid these problems.
AT THE END OF THE DAY…
Summary of Strengths and Weaknesses
After going through the four areas of assessment, Marisse summed up the strengths and weaknesses of ETD. She considered as strengths IIRR’s 75 years experience in rural development, its people-centered development philosophy and principles tested in various situations and its participatory methodologies. Its ability to collaborate with other development organizations to do field projects is considered an edge. She considered the ETD team of hardworking and committed staff a valuable asset. Physically, 54 hectare campus with mini forests, market garden sanctum, rich diversity of birds, lizards, other flora and fauna and the training facilities is an earning asset.
Marisse was very objective. She also recounted the weaknesses of ETD. Among which are unclear marketing strategies and inability to maximize resources to earn additional revenues. She was particularly bothered IIRR’s inability to provide competitive salaries to technical staff, continuing staff development opportunities and the high overhead expense to maintain the campus and cover management cost. Still the problem of technology limitations persists with only one or two computers can be made available to participants. She was also worried by diminishing field operations where IIRR’s programs are grounded and its course teams derived genuine experiences.
Marisse went back to the evaluation summaries of IIRR banner courses. Despite the limitations they were able to satisfy customers. She was particularly happy about the comments in many areas, however, the week-long self-assessment somehow created a vacuum inside her. She was no longer satisfied with their current performance. She saw their potential and she believed they have a lot more to offer. The movie in her mind pictures IIRR Training as a model in the world. Their courses were selling like hotcake and their trainers have become QMS-buffs. IIRR Training is globally competitive.
Towards these, Marisse faces the questions of how should she position IIRR in the future. "Should I join the cut-throat competition? Or, should I niche and focus on our target markets? What levels of expectation and competition would I like this institution to rise up to?. There are certain minimums that should be present in our training service? What certain things can I promise and deliver consistently? How do I flowchart our training processes and manage each step effectively? How do I ensure that each element of the QMS framework is taken care of well. How can I meet the fulfillment and delight of both customers and service providers?"
Tough questions, tough job. But this was how according to Peter Drucker an organization predicts its future. They actually create it –they just don’t watch things happen, they make things happen.
During the weekend Marisse pondered on the many questions the self-assessment raised. She brought all these in her meeting with the SPW facilitator who gave her the "QMS Card". They had a lengthy discussion on enhancing the training product through the service processes. They brainstormed on encouraging creativity among the faculty and creatively evolving training designs. That night Marisse could not sleep, her soul was wide awake. Questions and answers kept popping on her mind just like the blooming petals of a sunflower. Eureka, that was when Marisse taught of constructing a "service flower" for the Institute’s training processes. The petals represented the various levels and processes of delivering training programs.
Marisse sensed the radiance of the IIRR flower staring optimistically at her. She realized how complex and interesting their product was, and she wondered whether they could deliver all the elements of the IIRR service flower consistently.
In these she was confident, they have the tools at hand, the vision in sight and the mission by heart. "It was just a matter of doing it and doing it well", with this Marisse concluded her weeklong quest and set to work.
¹Positioning for Performance: External and Internal Assessment of IIRR, June 1999.
²IIRR Strategic Planning Workshop Documentation, June 27, 1999.
