High Performance Organization (hpo) Framework

Introduction to the High Performance Organization (HPO) Framework

The High Performance Organization (HPO) Framework is a conceptual, scientifically validated structure that managers can use to decide what to focus on to improve organizational performance and make it sustainable. The HPO Framework is not a set of instructions or a recipe that can be followed blindly. Rather, it is a framework that must be translated by managers to their specific organizational situation in their current time, by designing a specific variant of the framework for their organization (de Waal, 2008).

Quality of Management

Quality of Management means managers on all levels of the organization maintain trust relationships with employees by valuing their loyalty, treating smart people with respect, creating and maintaining individual relationships with employees, encouraging belief and trust in others, and treating people fairly (de Waal, 2008). This trust is crucial for fostering a positive work environment and ensuring that employees feel valued and motivated.

Openness and Action Orientation

In addition to having an ‘Openness and Action Orientation’ culture, an HPO uses the organization’s openness to achieve results (de Waal, 2008). In an HPO, management values the opinion of employees by frequently having dialogues with them and involving them in all important business and organizational processes (de Waal, 2008). HPO management allows experiments and mistakes by permitting employees to take risks, being prepared to take risks themselves, and seeing mistakes as an opportunity to learn (de Waal, 2008). This openness and willingness to take risks can lead to innovation and growth within the organization.

Long-Term Commitment

In an HPO, long-term gain is far more important than short-term profit. This long-term orientation is extended to all stakeholders of the organization, including shareholders, employees, suppliers, clients, and society at large (de Waal, 2008). An HPO continuously strives to enhance customer value creation by learning what customers want, understanding their values, building excellent relationships, and having direct contact with them, involving them in the organization’s affairs, being responsive to them, and focusing on continuously enhancing customer value (de Waal, 2008). An HPO maintains good long-term relationships with all stakeholders by networking broadly, taking an interest in and giving back to society, and creating mutual, beneficial opportunities and win-win relationships (de Waal, 2008).

Continuous Improvement

The process of continuous improvement and renewal starts with an HPO adopting a unique strategy that will set the company apart by developing many new alternatives to compensate for dying strategies (de Waal, 2008). After that, an HPO will do everything in its power to fulfill this unique strategy. It continuously simplifies, improves, and aligns all its processes to improve its ability to respond to events efficiently and effectively, and to eliminate unnecessary procedures, work, and information overload (de Waal, 2008). This commitment to constant improvement ensures that the organization remains competitive and relevant in a rapidly changing market.

Quality of Workforce

An HPO ensures it assembles a diverse and complementary workforce and recruits people with maximum flexibility to help detect problems in business processes and to incite creativity in solving them (de Waal, 2008). An HPO continuously works on the development of its workforce by training staff to be both resilient and flexible, letting them learn from others by going into partnerships with suppliers and customers, inspiring them to improve their skills so they can accomplish extraordinary results, and holding them responsible for their performances and with that encouraging them to be creative in looking for new productive ways to achieve the desired results (de Waal, 2008).

Education System in Tanzania

The Nation Examinations Council of Tanzania is the one responsible and authorized to provide examinations to primary, secondary, and some levels of colleges. It has set grade ranges (A, B, C, D, E for ordinary level and A, B, C, D, E, and S) for advanced secondary students, as well as Divisions (I, II, III, IV, and 0). For ordinary level students are required to have three credits, that is, three Cs to qualify to advance level. The criteria set by NECTA are the ones followed by all schools in Tanzania. Additionally, the Catholic schools and others have set their own grades which are apart from the ones given by NECTA so that they can motivate teachers and students to aim higher.

According to NECTA, a student who has got division I, II, III, or IV has passed the exam. Unfortunately, the one got III or IV has low achievement. The focus and determination in the study is to explore and reveal the secret of getting division I or II, which is higher achievement. By understanding the principles of the HPO Framework, educational institutions can also strive towards excellence by adopting similar strategies of continuous improvement and valuing their workforce.

References:

de Waal, A. A. (2008). The High Performance Organization: Creating a Culture of Excellence. New York: Routledge.