Analysis for Improving Performance

Corporations spend millions of dollars on performance improvement, employee training and development, work system redesign, and other organizational improvement efforts. Much of this money is wasted because the preliminary analysis and diagnosis has not been done to link these programs to an organization's real business needs, goals, and processes.

The truth is that in order for any performance improvement effort to add value to the organization, deep analysis is required. Analysis for Improving Performance details a systematic approach for doing the rigorous preparatory analysis that is vital to shaping and developing successful performance improvement efforts.

Richard A. Swanson's methods enable program developers and managers to define clear objectives, assess existing systems and missions, analyze worker knowledge and expertise, define desired performance and evaluation standards, and develop a performance improvement plan that will meet the desired performance goals.

This new edition has been extensively revised throughout and presents expanded concepts and updated cases, as well as a new chapter on documenting and improving work processes and documenting process-referenced tasks. Written for take-charge managers, performance improvement specialists, and workers wanting to improve their organizations, Analysis for Improving Performance provides “real-world” knowledge, tools, examples, graphics, and exercises aimed at developing your expertise in diagnosing organizational performance and documenting workplace expertise—the keys to long-term organizational success. In short, it is a complete guide to ensuring that the time, money, and effort you invest in organizational development are well spent.

Richard A. Swanson is Distinguished Research Professor of Human Resource Development and the Sam Lindsey Chair in the College of Business and Technology at The University of Texas at Tyler. He is also a University of Minnesota professor emeritus. Swanson is an internationally recognized authority on performance improvement and organizational change, human resource development, and results assessment. His re- cent work has focused on theory building research.
Swanson has consulted with major corporations throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe, and Africa. He has authored more than 240 publications on human resource development and per- formance improvement. He served as president of the Academy of Human Resource Development and was the founding editor of two scholarly journals, Human Resource Development Quarterly and Ad- vances in Developing Human Resources.
Swanson’s most recent book is Research in Organizations (2005), winner of the Book-of-the-Year Award from the Academy of Human Resource Development. Other recent books include The Adult Learner (2005), Foundations of Human Resource Development (2001), Assess- ing the Financial Benefits of Human Resource Development (2001), and Results: How to Assess Performance, Learning, and Perceptions in Organizations (1999). Swanson was inducted into the International Adult and Continuing Education Hall of Fame (2001), received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Illinois (2003), and was inducted into the Human Resource Development Scholar Hall of Fame (2004). The Richard A. Swanson Lectureship was established at the University of Minnesota in 2006.