Building and sustaining a culture of assessment: best practices for change leadership

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the idea of using Kotter's eight‐step model for change leadership to create a culture of assessment that is embedded in the organizational culture of an academic library.Design/methodology/approachThis is a conceptual paper that examines the potential application of a business change model to an academic library change context. Each step of Kotter's model is described within the context of building a culture of assessment, supported by examples and suggestions from the literature of libraries, higher education, organizational behavior and change leadership.FindingsWhile building a culture of assessment is critical for libraries in the current environment, it is a difficult and complex process that requires grassroots initiative, top‐down support and strong leadership. Kotter's model for change management provides a pragmatic structure for culture change through behavioral change and change leadership regardless of positional authority.Practical implicationsThis paper includes best practices for facilitating a culture of assessment, including necessary resources and possible approaches.Originality/valueWhile the literature contains articles about building a culture of assessment, no studies have applied models of change leadership from the management literature to this unique cultural process. This is the first paper that suggests concrete steps for libraries towards building a culture of assessment, even in the absence of an ideal organizational culture. The focus is also on enabling change leadership regardless of whether the change agents have positional authority.

Managing Search Engine Optimization: An Introduction for Library Administrators

“…They are being expected to demonstrate that they are managing their budgets wisely, provide good value to students and faculty, and have a positive impact on student success. Accordingly, libraries are increasingly developing cultures of assessment (Farkas, 2013). "Not only does assessment give librarians a venue for communicating with stakeholders, it determines "the fit" between institutional mission and achieved outcomes, articulates effectiveness, fosters improvement, increases efficiency, and demonstrates accountability" (Oakleaf, 2010).…”

Creating a Culture of Meaningful Evaluation in Public Libraries

“…Further (and stronger) opposition emerges from the ritualistic nature, a form of professional inculcation, that the long-standing practice of output evaluation plays in obstructing the adoption of new evaluation methods. Farkas (2013) skillfully captures this phenomenon in her review of cultural influences affecting library practices: Current models of evaluation can be seen as organizational artifacts in public libraries. Circulation and attendance counts serve as iconic artifacts (as well as practice) rituals in which staff undergo both defining them as part of the organization and bonding them to it.…”

“…Farkas (2013) cites many articles in the library literature that “suggest that organizational culture is to blame for the lack of assessment cultures in many libraries” (p. 14). Furthermore, she offers an explanation that although this challenge may exist, “a culture of assessment could instead be used as a lever to change organizational culture.” What we are offering as a result of our research on this subject is somewhat different; that is, neither a model where cultural change leads to evaluation change, nor a model where evaluation change leads to evaluation change.…”

“…The advantage of moving to an outcome evaluation model must transcend the need for external fiscal accountability and address more critical questions of organizational relevancy and evolving public needs and expectations. Dealing with change needs to be inculcated in the organization, or as Farkas (2013) notes, “people will eventually resume their old habits once the urgency has subsided” (p. 14).…”

WISER Assessment: A Communication Program Assessment Framework

“…Wehlburg (2008), for instance, proposes an integrated and transformative assessment model where faculty are embedded in the process and empowered to own their program assessment rather than asked to respond to external mandates that amount to checking the boxes. Other research suggests doing so involves creating a culture of assessment (e.g., Farkas, 2013;Ndoye & Parker, 2010;Weiner, 2009). Central to doing so is to build assessment programs and processes from the ground up so to speak.…”