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Executive Forum 2002
25-28 September
Montreux, Switzerland
Managing Competitive Advantage:
The Values of National Strategy
Saturday, 28 September
Session 5: Confirming Value: Export Strategy
Performance Measurement
The Issue:
Developing and transition economies find it difficult enough to prepare export strategies and work programmes, far less to engage in performance measurement and strategy evaluation. Performance measurement is generally the result of external pressure from a Ministry of Finance and Planning or from an international funding agency, which, in response to a request for funds to implement the national export strategy requires some form of justification. In many cases, it is only at this point that the export strategy stakeholders suddenly realize that performance measurement is important.
The issues then arise:
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Why measure performance? To satisfy funding agencies, to increase effectiveness, or to confirm the value of having a national export strategy
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Performance measurement of what? The strategy process, its implementation and impact? Individual programmes, or individual implementing agencies (or trade support institutions)?
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How do we measure performance? What are the "best practices" and tools used?
The Proposition:
National export strategy, its process and implementation, its specific programmes and implementing agencies must be subject to performance measurement and evaluation, not to satisfy funding sources, but to ensure effectiveness and efficiency and as a process of constant self-improvement to remain relevant.
There are three recognised levels of performance measurement of increasing difficulty: the first focuses on inputs, the second on outputs and the third and most difficult on outcomes, or impact.
We must engage in benchmarking and seek to be aware of the tools and procedures which others use, because there is little point in re-inventing the wheel. But we must also be aware that there is no "one size fits all" and each country will have to develop systems of performance measurement and evaluation which suit their circumstances – level and stage of development.
The
intended result of the debate will be a "best practice" approach to
strategy performance measurement and evaluation.
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