ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces the concept of organizational assessment and its value to public sector organizations in addressing the need to provide effective and efficient programs and services. It discusses the criticality of integrating assessment and improvement and the challenges and opportunities that face government organizations. The ability to fulfill the organization's mission and to meet its goals and objectives is measured in terms of both effectiveness and efficiency. Effectiveness and efficiency are without question impacted by the demand for increased government services. Public sector organizations have a unique opportunity to impact the lives of those for whom they provide programs and services. Complicating the way that the public sector is assessed is the difficulty of dealing with the public perception of bureaucracy. Organizational assessment is one of a number of organizational development processes including surveys, communication audits, and consultant studies through which an organization can learn about itself.
