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Performance*

You have seen the word “efficiency” in many of our resources but wonder what it really means? You need the definition of a word for a reference? Please find below a complete glossary of organizational assessment.  With over 100 definitions available, this glossary should help you clarify the terms you need to understand organizational assessment in a comprehensive manner. You can find the words either by searching alphabetically or by selecting the exact word you are looking for in the list.


Performance*

In organizations, performance is defined as the balance between effectiveness, relevance, efficiency, financial viability and social responsibility. It is the degree to which a development intervention or a development partner operates according to specific criteria/standards/guidelines or achieves results in accordance with stated goals or plans. Performance implies not only that the organization is achieving its purpose, but also that customers and stakeholders find that the organization’s products and services are meeting their needs, and that results are provided at reasonable costs. Finally, performance implies that the organization will continue over time – that it is sustainable.

All definitions are taken from the following source: 
OECD - Development Assistance Committee Network on Development Evaluation. (2002). Glossary of Key Terms in Evaluation and Results-Based Management. 40 pp.

This glossary is also available in French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Dutch, Italian, Japanese, Kiswahili, Russian, Swedish, and Turkish at the following website: http://www.oecd.org/.

The definition of terms followed by an asterisk symbol (*) was either slightly modified for simplicity reasons or was taken from:
Lusthaus, C., Adrien, M.-H., Anderson, G., Carden, F. & Montalván, G. P. (2002). 
Organizational Assessment: A Framework for Improving Performance. 210 pp.

The book can be read, downloaded or even ordered at the following website http://www.idrc.ca/.

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