Candidate:Patricia Collins

Degree of: Doctor of Public Administration

Department: School of Public Affairs and Administration

Title: Organizational Alignment: A Tool for Obtaining Greater Organizational Efficiency and Effectiveness in a State Government Agency

Committee:
Dr. Peter Kobrak, Chair
Dr. Dan Farrell
Dr. Homer Sprague

Date: Tuesday, December 18, 2001, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
SPAA Conference Room, 2nd floor Walwood Hall

Abstract:
This study focuses on the historical attempt of public agencies to become more efficient and effective; the modern day use of TQM, reengineering and privatization initiatives to gain efficiency and effectiveness; and the impact of alignment on the successful implementation of these three initiatives. A large state government agency, which has implemented and is currently using TQM; reengineering and privatization, was used in this study. Two hundred and twenty-four employees were voluntary participants. This study examined three research questions: (1) Could the level of alignment, as hypothesized by Labovitz and Rosansky, be replicated with a sample of agency employees?; (2) Is the agency aligned, based on the Labovitz and Rosansky model, to successfully implement its TQM, reengineering and privatization initiatives?; and (3) Could it be determined that the customer focus scale, as theorized by Labovitz and Rosansky, related to the alignment components of strategy, process and employees?
Confirmatory Factor Analysis, used in answering the first research question, adequately replicated the Labovitz and Rosansky Alignment Model. MANOVA, used in answering the second research question, tested
(over)
for group differences on four dependent measure (consumers, employees, process, and strategy) between gender and level of employment in order to gain insight about alignment. MANOVA found no significant differences between the groups. Using other statistical procedures, and in addition to MANOVA, female supervisors appeared to be more aligned that all other groups. In answering the third research question, multiple regression analysis confirmed that three of the components of alignment (strategic, direction, employee focus, and process focus) were paramount for customer focus, and the analysis also revealed that strategic direction s the most important of the three. The findings of this study should provide useful information to government agencies looking to maximize limited resources when they implement large-scale change initiatives.

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