Exploring generic aspects of performance improvement: comparative case studies in Lebanon

Abstract

Purpose - The present paper investigates performance improvement in organizations, from the perspective of generalizability. The objective is to examine generic aspects of organizational performance in different contexts. Abiding by a confirmatory approach, the paper endeavoured to bring change to the reality of two organizations, in order to test aspects of performance enhancement theory, namely management paradigms based on synchronized decentralization and information sharing. The research finds evidence to confirm these generic aspects of performance improvement. Design/methodology/approach - The framework is a comparative case study in action research/intervention research using the socio-economic approach to management. Findings - The results of the research support that synchronized decentralization and the subsequent adaptation of procedures, and the systematic sharing of information across the organization yield performance improvement across various organizational contexts. Originality/value - The main contributions of the paper is the transformation of case study organizations towards improved performance, and the confirmation of the underlying theory through case research. Keywords: Performance improvement, Organizational development, Intervention research, Socio-economic approach to management, Engineering inspection and certification body, Higher education.