Benchmarking Europe
Benchmarking Europe
During the last year a number of Web sites have been created that aim to encourage benchmarking and the development of better practice in government services. The aim of several of the sites is to provide a European perspective on public sector benchmarking.
The Public Sector Benchmarking Service (PSBS) site provides several useful definitions of benchmarking. They observe that most organisations tailor definitions of benchmarking to suit their own strategies and objectives. The two primary examples they provide are:
Benchmarking is simply about making comparisons with other organisations and then learning the lessons that those comparisons throw up (source: The European Benchmarking Code of Conduct).
Benchmarking is the continuous process of measuring products, services and practices against the toughest competitors or those companies recognised as industry leaders (best in class) (source: The Xerox Corporation).
The PSBS site believes that the core elements of benchmarking are usually:
regularly comparing aspects of performance (functions or processes) with best practitioners;
identifying gaps in performance;
seeking fresh approaches to bring about improvements in performance;
following through with implementing improvements; and
following up by monitoring progress and reviewing the benefits.
Although benchmarking involves making comparisons of performance, the PSBS suggests that benchmarking is not:
Merely competitor analysis. Benchmarking is best undertaken in a collaborative way.
A comparison of league tables. The aim is to learn about the circumstances and processes that underpin superior performance.
A quick fix, done once for all time. Benchmarking projects may extend over a number of months and it is vital to repeat them periodically so as not to fall behind as the background environment changes.
Copying or catching up. In rapidly changing circumstances, good practices become dated very quickly. Also, the fact that others are doing things differently does not necessarily mean they are better.
The Benchmarking eEurope site does not do well against these criteria. eEurope Benchmarking is based on a list of 23 key indicators agreed in November 2000. These indicators come from a variety of sources (OECD, surveys, studies). The site primarily consists of a large number of tables and graphs comparing the performance of the 15 European Union countries against the 23 key indicators. These include measures such as the percentage of Internet users shopping online,Internet access by households and faster Internet for researchers and students(there is currently no data available for this variable). The site claims that:
… the benchmarking programme is about assessing that difference. It is more than simply measuring progress. By measuring and monitoring developments which are indicative of what is happening in the information society,benchmarking eEurope will enable us to take stock of where we are now and take informed decisions for the future.
While the Benchmarking eEurope site meets some of the comparative dimensions in the PSBS list of requirements, it does little to assist in understanding how improvements can be brought about or how to implement improvements.
The European Benchmarking Network (EBN) aims to become a network of contacts in different EU member states. Their primary aim is to help identify benchmarking partners in different member states. It is a clearing house or broker – the role of the EBN will normally be limited to identifying potential partners and putting the requesting organisation and potential partners in touch with each other. Partners decide how to develop their relationship and which approach is most appropriate for them.
Despite this emphasis on acting as a facilitator to link partners the site does contain case studies and reports that describe the aims, objectives and achievements of government service providers in various European countries. For instance, a search of the case studies about customs provided information about customs, tax and administrative services in The Netherlands, Denmark, Italy and France. As the site develops and more information becomes available this could be a useful introductory benchmarking resource. However, as information on the site makes clear, the main aim is to enable contacts to liaise primarily by e-mail and telephone, supported by periodic workshops to share information.
The PSBS, launched in November 2000, has been developed as a partnership between the UK Cabinet Office and HM Customs and Excise with the key aim of promoting effective benchmarking and sharing good practices across the public sector. The PSBS suggest that this aim will be achieved by enabling organisations to share knowledge and promote a collaborative approach to resolving common problems. The PSBS Web site provides up-to-date information on benchmarking and improvement initiatives in the public sector. The emphasis of the site is on the development of benchmarking methodologies and techniques,rather than on providing an insight into how particular government services are provided or can be improved. Site content is currently limited but as more information becomes available the site could become a useful source of benchmarking methodology information.
The final benchmarking site is the UK Cabinet Office's Modernising Public Services Group best practice site. The site does not benchmark or compare service delivery, but instead provides case studies on hundreds of ideas that have been introduced in different parts of the UK public sector to improve service delivery. It also provides access to a library of guidance publications for the public sector produced by the Cabinet Office. The site also acts as a focus for the development of a network to enable practitioners to share ideas and experiences. A simple search about "schools" provided 162 case studies that were thought to represent better practice.
Collectively, the four sites reviewed in this editorial might assist someone delivering services in the public sector to benchmark their service against others and undertake improvements. While each is relatively successful in the area they have selected, they have limitations. eEurope Benchmarking and PSBS are very analytical and reductionist in their approach. The EBN and Modernising Public Services Group sites require the user to develop their own tools and techniques to improve service delivery. The case studies in both provide a lot of descriptive information about projects but information about how they were developed and implemented and about the problems they encountered is scarce.
Web sites
Listed below is a selective review of Web sites that provide further details about public sector benchmarking sites. Dynamic links to these pages can be found at http://www.iecrc.org/ebrindexes.htm
eEurope Benchmarking
Tables and graphs comparing the performance of 15 European Union countries against 23 benchmarking indicators: http://europa.eu.int/information_society/eeurope/benchmarking/list/2001/index_en.htm
The European Benchmarking Network
A site facilitating liaison between European partners to develop benchmarking activities, the site contains some best practice case studies of public service provision: http://www.eubenchmarking.net/
PSBS
Promotes the development of benchmarking techniques and methodologies in the UK public sector: http://www.benchmarking.gov.uk/default1.asp
Modernising Public Services Group
Provides best practice guides and UK case studies: http://www.servicefirst.gov.uk/index/guidhome.htm
Paul FoleyDirector of the International Electronic Commerce Research Centre, De Montfort University, Leicester and Visiting Professor, School of Accounting and Information Systems, University of South Australia.E-mail: pdf@dmu.ac.uk
