Luxembourg, 21 July 2003
Strategic Management Seminar – Tirana 26-27 June 2003
Proceedings
This seminar was organised as part of Eurostat’s policy to strengthen the management capacities of NSIs of Western Balkan. The main objective was to assist beneficiaries in better defining their strategic planning process in order to be able to correctly assume their role of main provider of official statistics.
The programme of the seminar was designed as an exchange of experience between beneficiaries, NSIs of Western Balkan, and one Member State statistical institute, Irelands’s Central Statistical Office (CSO). Four main topics were presented and discussed in subgroups.
Topic 1: SWOT Analysis
The CSO introduced the topic of SWOT analysis by emphasing the concepts of strategic planning and strategy, which was seen as a tool for closing the gap between the present state and the desired state. Participants had prepared a preliminary SWOT analysis for their office and these proposals were discussed in the subgroups. The overall SWOT presented below is the result of these discussions.
Common SWOT for all National Statistical Institutes in the Western Balkans.
STRENGTHS– Committed, loyal, knowledgeable staff
– Clear legal set-up / WEAKNESSES
– Lack of motivation, of skills
– Low salaries
– Bad co-ordination with other producers
– Lack of rules in management processes, absence of strategic planning
OPPORTUNITIES
– Interest for statistics in the general public and in media
– Interest for statistics in the Stabilisation and Association Process
– European Statistical System and other donors support / THREATS
– Timeliness versus quality
– Unrealistic expectations
– Public administration environment
– Other producers
Topic 2: Setting targets and monitoring performance
The CSO introduced the topic by referring to the strategic planning cycle in their office, which involves a statement of strategy, environment analysis, mission statement, high-level goals, key performance indicators as well as plans for how to link the corporate level with plans at divisional and local level. As an exercise each participant had prepared example of some key performance indicators, which were discussed in the subgroups with a particular emphasis on whether or not the proposed KPI’s were SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achieveable, Relevant & Time-bounded).
Key performance indicators for the National Statistical Institutes of the Western Balkans.
FSO / Full implementation of Master PlanAll staff trained in English and statistics
Legislation harmonised
Development of a co-ordinated statistical system in Serbian Montenegro
RSOS / Establish set of indicators which are comparable to indicators in other countries
Establish procedures for a good annual statistical programme
Monstat / Establish set of indicators which are comparable to indicators in other countries
Implement specific training (including languages)
Implement national accounts system
KOSSOK / First Statistical Yearbook Kosovo 2004
Publication of main national accounts aggregates ESA 95
Dissemination policy for Kosovo decided before 12/2003
ALINSTAT / Measuring of informal economy by 2005
Publication of Short-term Statistics by April 2004
Data on GDP for 2004 are published by June 2006
Assessment of labour market statistics done by end of 2003
Monthly internal newsletter published by end of 2003
CBSHR / CPI by January 2004
Using Meta Database by February 2004
Economic census by November 2005
Methodology for Regional Accounts by June 2006
SSORMMK / Law on agriculture census adopted
Implementation of a training programme
Statistics aligned with EU requirements
BHASiH / Implementation of the Law on statistics (4 years programme)
Production of expenditure-based GDP
Production of External Trade Statistics
Development of price statistics (CPI)
Preparatory activities for the population census
Topic 3: Customers and stakeholders
The CSO introduced the topic by referring to the concept of Customer Service in Ireland. They emphasised the idea of internal customers and the expectations of customers in general. In terms of knowing your clients, an exercise was proposed in which each participant would present a list of possible customers for their office. The exercise also included an indication of Power (high/low) and Interest (high/low) for each customer, as a starting point for the subgroup discussions.
Table. Some common elements resulting from the discussions
Low Interest – Low Power– Some NGOs
– Municipalities
– General public
– Business community
– Trade unions / High Interest – Low Power
– NGOs, embassies
– Professional media
– Research institutes, universities, students
Low Interest – High Power
– Ministries of interior, foreign affairs, local governement
– Chamber of Commerce
– UN agencies, UNDP, UNICEF
– Some donor agencies / High Interest – High Power
– Ministries (Finance, European integration, Economy)
– Central Bank
– International organisations (EU, IMF, World Bank, UN)
– Media
Topic 4 – Building organisational capacity
The CSO introduced the topic and focused on the role of management and other stakeholders in implementing the strategic plan and the importance of aligning organisational resources towards a shared objective. The CSO also described their Performance Management & Development System which involves defining objectives, key deliverables and key performance indicators for each staff. This includes twice-annual reviews and clear identification of training and development needs for staff.
In the discussions it was emphasised that in Ireland there is not a direct link between the review process and pay and promotion. In Albania some review of staff takes place involving elements taking from the World Bank, whereas in FYROM weekly reports with planned activities for the coming week are prepared by staff. Each month, the teamleaders are preparing an assessment of the work done during the previous month according to a simple classification (A - very satisfactory; B – medium satisfactory; C – low satisfaction and D – very low satisfaction).
Conclusions
The following broad conclusions from the previous discussions emerged:
1) The SWOT analysis revealed many common elements, although some aspects which were considered as a strength in one office, were seen as a weakness in another (due to different circumstances).
2) The discussion on setting targets and monitoring performance showed that although most indicators were relevant, they were often not specific (enough) and time-bounded. More work was also needed on the aspect of setting achievable indicators.
3) The identification of Customers was quite similar from one office to another, but they were not always classified (on the Power versus Interest matrix) in the same way. The main differences concerned the importance and interest of media, businesses, business organisations and government. It was discussed also, how to raise an interest (e.g. building support for the NSI) when this interest was seen as too low for a particular customer. A related issue was how to manage delivery of good customer service and how to measure quality.
In the discussion the participants were asked to make suggestions for how to address the challenges identified in the common SWOT. It was underlined that such an exercise should be seen as an integral part of the work of the top-management of the National Statistical Institute.
The key issues were on the threats – from other producers, unrealistic expectations, timeliness vs. quality, building interest in statistics and support for the National Statistical Institute.
The table below shows the actions to be undertaken by each office in the coming months.
FSO / Better co-ordinate with other producers of offical statisticsTo establish a better profile of statistics in the country.
To improve links with media
RSOS / Use the seminar for defining a strategy for the statistical system
Keep good team working in the office
Maintain staff motivation
Monstat / Carry out the population census
Make the office more visible in Montenegro
SOK / Address the weaknesses and threats one by one
Set-up training programme for staff
Make memorandum of understanding with most important producers and users
Replace UNMIK staff with staff funded from other (donor) sources
Carry outPrepare for the population census
INSTAT / Involve staff in strategic process
Prepare tailor-made statistical products for key users
Organise open seminars with universities
Maintain staff motivation
CBS / Continue strategic elements already ongoing in the office
Link performance of staff with pay.
SSORM / Analyse working-time use
Analyse performance of staff
Implement staff satisfaction survey
Implement user satisfaction survey (twice per year)
Annex: List of acronyms:
FSO: Federal Statistical Office (now Statistical Office of Serbia and Montenegro)
RSOS: Republic of Serbia Office of Statistics
Monstat: Statistical Office of the Republic of Montenegro
SOK: Statistical Office of Kosovo
INSTAT: Institute of Statistics (Albania)
CBS: Central Bureau of Statistics (Croatia)
SSORM: State Statistical Office of the Republic of Macedonia
BHAS: Bosnia-Herzegovina Agency for Statistics