BPI Organization Structure – Examples

Example #1 illustrates the organization design selection criteria used by a public sector agency that provides grant money to researchers. The table and weighting criteria were completed together with senior management to assess the three potential options.

Example #2, below, is a pictorial illustration of the three scenarios outlined in Example #1.

Example #3 illustrates some organization design scenarios.

Scenario 1:Empowered Program Assistants

Highlights:

Assumption: The concept of 'peer evaluation, suggests that judgement on eligibility and merit of applications should be made by a selected panel of peers rather than by agency staff. The 'organization,s primary role, therefore is to administer and support the peer decision-making process.

• The Program Assistant performs both the basic and eligibility criteria for the vast majority of applications (roughly 85%), in accordance with clear program criteria. The remaining cases that require additional     interpretation and judgement are referred to a Program Officer or     Section Head for guidance.
• The Program Officer at the peer meeting reviews the applications in parallel with the peers (as part of general preparation for facilitating the session).
• Reports to the Board are developed by each Section Head through debriefings held with the organization,s at peer meetings.
• This scenario would potentially result in a reduction in the number of program officers but could result in an increased requirement for program assistants

Possible Permutations:

A: Corporate Services Team performs current role

• Corporate Services Team opens/date stamps applications, returns acknowledgment card,     registers applicants in the computer (standard tombstone information only) and prepares supporting (paper) files for transfer to the appropriate Section.
• The Program Assistant then enters any additional information from the application that is     required by the Section to administer the competition.

B: Reduced Corporate Services Team role

• The organization has an inbound mailroom that sorts the general mail and forwards all applications to the appropriate Section (unopened).    
• Program assistants in each section opens/date-stamps applications, returns acknowledgment card, enters all required information into the organization-wide database     while reviewing applications for basic eligibility.    

Scenario 2: Empowered Program Officers

Highlights:

Assumption: Program Officers are highly knowledgeable in each research discipline. They are empowered to use their judgement in determining the eligibility and merit of applications in accordance with program criteria and organization guidelines.

• The Program Officer screen for basic and program eligibility. As part of this activity, the     Officer reviews and prioritizes the applications (calibre 1, 2 or 3 based on program eligibility criteria) prior to forwarding them to     peers.
• Relying on the initial judgement of the Program Officer, peers are called upon to review     thoroughly and debate only those applications not deemed to be either 'clearly successful, or 'clearly unsuccessful,.
• Peer meetings are hence much shorter and can potentially cover a mix of program components in a single session. For each jury, peers also determine the amounts to     be accorded to successful grant recipients.

Possible Permutations:

A: Corporate Services Team performs current role

• Corporate Services Team opens/date stamps applications, returns acknowledgment card,     registers applicants in the computer (standard tombstone information only) and prepares supporting (paper) files for transfer to the appropriate Section.
• The Program Assistant then enters any additional information from the application that is     required by the Section to administer the competition.

B: Reduced Corporate Services Team role

• The Program Officer enters all required information from the application into the database directly while screening for basic and program eligibility. Program assistants prepare support materials and organize logistics for peer meetings.

Scenario 3: New hybrid position Program agent

Highlights:

• A hybrid position is created whose role is to handle the current duties of both Program     Assistants and Program Officers (with specialized assistance provided as required by a pool of support staff or by Section Head).        

Possible permutations:

A: Corporate Services Team performs current role

• Corporate Services Team opens/date stamps applications, returns acknowledgement card, registers applicants in the computer (standard     tombstone information only) and prepares supporting (paper) files for transfer to the appropriate Section.
• The Program Agent then enters any additional information from the     application that is required by the Section to administer the competition.

B: Reduced Corporate Services Team role

• The Program Agent enters all     required information from the application into the database directly while screening for basic and program eligibility. Program assistants prepare support materials and organize logistics for peer meetings.

Scenario 1:    Empowered Program Assistants

Highlights:

Assumption: The concept of 'peer evaluation, suggests that judgement on eligibility and merit of applications should be made by a selected panel of peers rather than by agency staff. The 'organization,s primary role, therefore is to administer and support the peer decision-making process.

• The Program Assistant performs both the basic and eligibility criteria for the vast majority of applications (roughly 85%), in accordance with clear program criteria. The remaining cases that require additional     interpretation and judgement are referred to a Program Officer or     Section Head for guidance.
• The Program Officer at the peer meeting reviews the applications in parallel with the peers (as part of general preparation for facilitating the session).
• Reports to the Board are developed by each Section Head through debriefings held with the organization,s at peer meetings.
• This scenario would potentially result in a reduction in the number of program officers but could result in an increased requirement for program assistants

Possible Permutations:

A: Corporate Services Team performs current role

• Corporate Services Team opens/date stamps applications, returns acknowledgment card,     registers applicants in the computer (standard tombstone information only) and prepares supporting (paper) files for transfer to the appropriate Section.
• The Program Assistant then enters any additional information from the application that is     required by the Section to administer the competition.

B: Reduced Corporate Services Team role

• The organization has an inbound mailroom that sorts the general mail and forwards all applications to the appropriate Section (unopened).    
• Program assistants in each section opens/date-stamps applications, returns acknowledgment card, enters all required information into the organization-wide database     while reviewing applications for basic eligibility.    

Scenario 2: Empowered Program Officers

Highlights:

Assumption: Program Officers are highly knowledgeable in each research discipline. They are empowered to use their judgement in determining the eligibility and merit of applications in accordance with program criteria and organization guidelines.

• The Program Officer screen for basic and program eligibility. As part of this activity, the     Officer reviews and prioritizes the applications (calibre 1, 2 or 3 based on program eligibility criteria) prior to forwarding them to peers.   
• Relying on the initial judgement of the Program Officer, peers are called upon to review     thoroughly and debate only those applications not deemed to be either 'clearly successful, or 'clearly unsuccessful,.
• Peer meetings are hence much shorter and can potentially cover a mix of program components in a single session. For each jury, peers also determine the amounts to     be accorded to successful grant recipients.

Possible Permutations:

A: Corporate Services Team performs current role

• Corporate Services Team opens/date stamps applications, returns acknowledgment card,     registers applicants in the computer (standard tombstone information only) and prepares supporting (paper) files for transfer to the appropriate Section.
• The Program Assistant then enters any additional information from the application that is     required by the Section to administer the competition.

B: Reduced Corporate Services Team role

• The Program Officer enters all required information from the application into the database directly while screening for basic and program eligibility. Program assistants prepare support materials and organize logistics for peer meetings.

Scenario 3: New hybrid Position Program agent

Highlights:

• A hybrid position is created whose role is to handle the current duties of both Program     Assistants and Program Officers (with specialized assistance provided as required by a pool of support staff or by Section Head).        

Possible permutations:

A: Corporate Services Team performs current role

• Corporate Services Team opens/date stamps applications, returns     acknowledgement card, registers applicants in the computer (standard     tombstone information only) and prepares supporting (paper) files for transfer to the appropriate Section.
• The Program Agent then enters any additional information from the     application that is required by the Section to administer the competition.

B: Reduced Corporate Services Team role

• The Program Agent enters all     required information from the application into the database directly while screening for basic and program eligibility. Program assistants prepare support materials and organize logistics for peer meetings.