An analysis of a benchmarking initiative to help government entities to learn from best practices – the “Dubai We Learn” initiative

Abstract

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the mechanisms for managing coordinated benchmarking projects and the outcomes achieved from such coordination. While there have been many independent benchmarking studies comparing the practices and performance of public sector organisations, there has been little research on initiatives that involve coordinating multiple benchmarking projects within public sector organisations or report on the practices implemented and results from benchmarking projects. This research will be of interest to centralised authorities wishing to encourage and assist multiple organisations in undertaking benchmarking projects. Design/methodology/approach The study adopts a case study methodology. Data were collected on the coordinating mechanisms and the experiences of the individual organisations over a one-year period. Findings The findings show successful results (financial and non-financial) across all 13 benchmarking projects, thus indicating the success of a coordinated approach to managing multiple projects. The study concluded by recommending a six-stage process for coordinating multiple benchmarking projects. Originality/value This research gives new insights into the application and benefits from benchmarking because of the open access the research team had to the “Dubai We Learn” initiative. To the authors’ knowledge the research was unique in being able to report accurately on the outcome of 13 benchmarking projects with all projects using the TRADE benchmarking methodology.

Rapid benchmarking: the case of a multinational dairy company

“…The 24 case studies described by Mann et al (2017, 2019) showing the time taken to use TRADE by Dubai government entities were particularly relevant as this was the same methodology used by the dairy company. In these cases, the average median time taken to complete the TOR, Review and Acquire stages of TRADE was 211 days.…”

“…The first objective to identify the length of time it takes to undertake a typical best practice benchmarking project was fulfilled by reviewing previous research by GBN (Mann et al , 2010), APQC (2009) and Longbottom (2000). More importantly, 24 case studies on TRADE (Mann et al , 2017, 2019) were reviewed to provide precise dates of the length of benchmarking projects and more importantly enabled a direct comparison with the rapid benchmarking approach used by the dairy company. The second objective to identify how rapid benchmarking is being applied, the time taken, the results achieved and the underlying success factors was fulfilled through undertaking a case study on the dairy company.…”

“…Whilst the literature review indicated the substantial time necessary to conduct a best practice benchmarking project, the authors considered a more precise assessment could be undertaken through analysing the time taken to complete benchmarking projects by organisations using the same benchmarking methodology as the dairy company. One of the authors had been involved in a programme that had assisted 24 Dubai government entities in undertaking benchmarking projects using the TRADE Best Practice Benchmarking Methodology, and subsequently these projects were researched and provided as case studies in Mann et al (2017) and Mann et al (2019), with the time measured for each stage of the methodology and for the projects as whole. These data would enable direct comparisons with the time taken to complete each stage of the methodology by the case study company.…”

“…This would enable a direct comparison between “typical” benchmarking projects and the dairy company's rapid benchmarking projects. The books by Mann et al (2017) and Mann et al (2019) describe a total of 24 benchmarking projects undertaken by Dubai government organisations. These books accurately describe the length of time each project took for the first three stages of TRADE from the TOR to the Acquire stage, with project teams recording the dates that they completed these stages as part of the methodology reporting system (these dates were also validated by submitted reports and presentations by the teams).…”

RTA Dubai: Benchmarking as a Catalyst for Superior Services

“…The proposal of a six-stage approach for project coordination and support exemplifies the utilization of benchmarking by the RTA. This method also enables the RTA to use economies of scale in areas like training and project management, improving its operations' efficiency and effectiveness (Mann et al, 2021). Thus, the RTA's dedication to excellence is reflected in its successful benchmarking application to enhance service provision.…”