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Article
Publication date: 15 December 2007

Susan Beck-Frazier, Larry Nash White and Cheryl McFadden

The study design investigated the leadership behavior of deans of education that addresses an important aspect of leadership – leadership is created when there is alignment…

Abstract

The study design investigated the leadership behavior of deans of education that addresses an important aspect of leadership – leadership is created when there is alignment between the organizational leadership behaviors needed by the institution and the leadership behaviors provided by the organizational leader. A survey of a selected group of deans of education from 35 institutions addressed the questions: what do deans self-identify as their prominent leadership behavior and to what extent do deans use multiple leadership behaviors. The research of Bolman and Deal (1984) provided the frames for analysis: structural, human resource, political, and symbolic frames. The study response rate was 50%. The findings of the study indicated that the majority of respondents perceived their primary leadership behavior as most closely matching the human resource frame. Results also indicated that a majority of respondents did not perceive that they

Details

Journal of Leadership Education, vol. 6 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1552-9045

Book part
Publication date: 2 May 2006

Larry Nash White

There have been many challenges and uncertainties in determining the future direction(s) for performance measurement (PM) in Florida public libraries over the years. Social…

Abstract

There have been many challenges and uncertainties in determining the future direction(s) for performance measurement (PM) in Florida public libraries over the years. Social pressures for establishing increased accountability and community needs combined with the library administrators need to respond to these pressures served as the catalysts for the need to evolve PM processes in Florida public libraries.

Details

Advances in Library Administration and Organization
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-84950-403-4

Content available
Article
Publication date: 31 October 2008

384

Abstract

Details

The Bottom Line, vol. 21 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0888-045X

Article
Publication date: 15 August 2008

Larry Nash White

The purpose of this paper is to understand the alignment of assessment processes in libraries and develop a conceptual model of aligning library performance assessment for…

1771

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand the alignment of assessment processes in libraries and develop a conceptual model of aligning library performance assessment for effective reporting of library value and performance to stakeholders.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper reviews of library performance assessment literature and current practice research to identify the need and value of aligned performance assessment processes for libraries, the primary contributing alignment factors affecting the library assessment process, and potential benefits of improved alignment of the assessment process for libraries.

Findings

Libraries can improve the reporting and value of their assessment processes by improving the alignment of their assessment processes in two ways: internally through the use of consistent and innovative processes, metrics, and culture within the library and externally by embracing the alignment factors of the library's service environment. The library must develop more effective assessment alignment processes by progressively elevating the alignment of the library's assessment processes from internal non‐alignment of assessment to the total alignment of assessment to the library’ service environment and the dynamic environmental factors driving today's libraries.

Practical implications

Increasing the alignment of a library's assessment processes can improve the efficiency of assessment processes, the effectiveness of the results of the assessment processes, and the library stakeholder's appreciation and understanding of the results of the assessment processes.

Originality/value

Provides a conceptual model applicable to all types of libraries to increase the alignment of assessment and the library's ability to report value and impact.

Details

Library Review, vol. 57 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0024-2535

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 20 November 2007

Larry Nash White

This is the second of two papers on the benefits and challenges of human capital assessment. The purpose of this paper is to review the most common challenges that library…

1015

Abstract

Purpose

This is the second of two papers on the benefits and challenges of human capital assessment. The purpose of this paper is to review the most common challenges that library administrators may encounter when developing and implementing a human capital assessment process in their libraries and offer suggested counter‐responses to reduce implementation challenges.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses a literature review to identify potential challenges and resolutions for library administrators who are developing and implementing human capital assessment. In reviewing human capital assessment from the literature from both outside and within the library profession, it is hoped that the most common challenges can be identified to allow library administrators an effective opportunity to plan and account for these challenges during development and implementation.

Findings

Human capital assessment is an increasingly essential element of organizational performance assessment for library administrators. There are several types of common challenges in developing and implementing human capital assessment processes: a lack of consensual operational definitions and assessment values for human capital valuation and assessment, complexity of process, subjectivity in application, and misaligned information needs of mid‐level administrators. However, if these development and implementation challenges can be reduced or eliminated through prior planning and aligning the valuation and assessment processes to the organization and its assessment information needs, there are multiple potential benefits for library administrators who wish to assess the human capital of their library.

Originality/value

Identifying the implementation challenges of human capital assessment for library administrators could reduce the initial challenges of in assessing the human component of the library's performance in meeting stakeholder's needs and accountability concerns.

Details

The Bottom Line, vol. 20 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0888-045X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 June 2007

Larry Nash White

The purpose of this paper is to examine the needs to assess the value and impact of the intangible resources and efforts produced by the library.

1813

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the needs to assess the value and impact of the intangible resources and efforts produced by the library.

Design/methodology approach

A literature overview is used to provide the background of intangibles assessment and its application in libraries, with examples of library intangible resources used and efforts produced, and reviews the possible benefits for libraries in adopting and effectively utilizing intangible assessment.

Findings

The library has multiple intangible assets, resources, and efforts it produces that are not generally accounted for in annual assessments, accountability reporting, or budget planning. Learning to account for and include the intangibles used/produced by the library will increase the library's capability to address accountability concerns of stakeholders, more effectively align the library's resources with strategic responses, and more effectively utilize intangible assets and resources.

Originality/value

Increased reporting and usage of intangible resources/products by the library could provide library administrators with a proactive means of increasing the effectiveness and scope of library assessment, valuation, and resource planning and usage.

Details

The Bottom Line, vol. 20 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0888-045X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 September 2007

Larry Nash White

The purpose of paper one of the two‐article series exploration of human capital assessment is to examine the strategies by which library administrators can assess and benefit the…

1674

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of paper one of the two‐article series exploration of human capital assessment is to examine the strategies by which library administrators can assess and benefit the human capital performance of their library and to lay the groundwork for the discussion of the strategic challenges of assessing and valuing human capital in article two.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses a literature review to identify potential strategies and metrics for library administrators to assess human capital productivity.

Findings

Human capital is an increasingly essential element of organizational performance assessment. Effectively assessing library staff expenditures (which generally receives the largest expenditure allocations within the library's budget) and the resulting performance generated by the staff, who are the primary knowledge tools and providers of the library's services, is an ever increasing possibility to account for greater amounts of tangible and intangible organizational performance. Library administrators have multiple options for developing effective strategies and metrics by which to assess their libraries human capital performance.

Originality/value

Developing an effective human capital assessment process as a standard component of the library's performance and budgetary assessment processes would benefit libraries and their administrators by increasing the organizational performance information available for resource allocation decisions regarding library staff development, recruitment, and retention in the larger overall management decision making and planning processes.

Details

The Bottom Line, vol. 20 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0888-045X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 30 October 2009

Larry Nash White

The purpose of this paper is to examine the associated customer acquisition costs of public libraries. The intention of the paper is to develop awareness of the hidden costs…

1615

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the associated customer acquisition costs of public libraries. The intention of the paper is to develop awareness of the hidden costs associated with customer acquisition, and develop assessment tools or models to effectively manage the resources associated with customer acquisition to aid library administrators in strategic budgeting and planning.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is prepared through review of the library and business literature associated with customer acquisitions. No definitive data on customer turnover rates or models of assessing customer acquisitions cost are identified in the review of the literature.

Findings

While not identified or managed systematically, the calculation of customer acquisition costs, customer turnover rates, and the effective management of associated customer acquisition cost is strategically imperative for public libraries. Public libraries generally do not track customer turnover or the associated costs of acquiring new or replacement customers that come about due to this turnover. There is not a definitive estimate of customer turnover in public libraries, so exact costs determination will vary by public library system. Public libraries can reduce their customer acquisition costs through the retention of current customers with high quality service and in effectively managing the customer acquisition process in the strategic budgeting and planning processes of the library.

Originality/value

Libraries that can effectively acquire new or replacement customers and manage the costs of this process will more effectively utilize resources and maximize customer value for the library. This paper proposes several cost assessment calculations to help guide library administrators in making strategic decisions.

Details

The Bottom Line, vol. 22 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0888-045X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 27 March 2007

Larry Nash White

The purpose of this paper is to examine potential new uses of return on investment (ROI) in alternative methods for library assessment and valuation.

2561

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine potential new uses of return on investment (ROI) in alternative methods for library assessment and valuation.

Design/methodology/approach

Uses examples of recent uses of ROI by libraries to identify potential new applications of ROI in library assessment and valuation.

Findings

ROI investment has historically been used by libraries for the assessment of past performance of library organizations in a reactive/defensive nature or for assessing the value of customer services. ROI has not been widely used as a proactive assessment tool, to introspectively assess administrative or other internal services, or as an offensive assessment and valuation tool, especially for intangible performance assessment and valuation.

Originality/value

New applications of the ROI assessment tool could provide library administrators with proactive means of increasing the effectiveness of library assessment, valuation, and their results.

Details

The Bottom Line, vol. 20 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0888-045X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 27 November 2009

Beatrice Priestly

Over time, management theory has shaped the structure of libraries. No matter the current view of management by matrix, when it comes to library organizations, there is always…

Abstract

Purpose

Over time, management theory has shaped the structure of libraries. No matter the current view of management by matrix, when it comes to library organizations, there is always going to be a hierarchical structure. The object then is for transparency to be in place, and a recognized sense of fairness and equality. This study aims to address this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper reviews the concepts of the literature on management and organization theory, and details the literature on valuing human capital and its recent application to knowledge management work. It then discusses how the literature and its deployment over the years have resulted in the formation of pay policies, and shows the application of Fay Hensen's predictive validity testing to the pay policy line in the field of libraries through the study of the New Jersey Library Association's Guidelines for Minimum Recommended Starting Salaries for Library Staff from the years 2007 and 2008.

Findings

By measuring for internal job values at libraries through one or more of the measures discussed here, one can arrive at an analysis of the pay policy of the institution. Using trendline analysis, the paper was able to calculate just what the value, worth or salary of the positions should be in order to have a predictive, orderly, hierarchical representation of salaries within the library organization structure.

Originality/value

By measuring for internal consistency in job values at libraries, one can be assured that there are fair demarcations among positions, and yield consistent expectations which are transparent to employees, who will then know what must be done to advance within the organization. A consistent organizational structure, with clearly delineated jobs and equal compensation lets a library know where it stands and where it needs to go from there. By periodically creating a pay policy line study for the organization, human resources personnel can make executives aware of how they may or may not have strayed from balance in fairness and transparent compensation.

Details

The Bottom Line, vol. 22 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0888-045X

Keywords

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