Every company has a set of goals designed to lead the organization in a specific direction. To achieve these goals, managers should train employees to follow a specific path or set of rules that will lead to organizational effectiveness. The measurement of effectiveness is achieved through completion of the organization's goals. To understand organizational effectiveness in any setting, one must define it according to the goals of the organization. In a criminal justice environment, managers must apply various organizational effectiveness theories appropriately to measure the effectiveness of the department. Managers must also exert control to a certain degree in organizational settings to achieve maximum effectiveness. Once managers measure and achieve organizational effectiveness, success of the organization is almost certain.
Organizational Effectiveness Defined Different definitions of organizational effectiveness exist, mainly because the effectiveness of an organization differs from company to company. Many people would define organizational effectiveness as the output or outcome of the organization and how it affects the desired results. For example, if an organization's goal is to increase sales profits, the organization may use various marketing techniques to bring in more customers to buy their product. If the result is more customers buying their product as intended, organizational effectiveness exists within this company because the goal of the organization was met. Organizations measure their effectiveness in various ways. According to Steers (1976), "Organizations typically pursue multiple (and often conflicting) goals--and these goals tend to differ from organization to organization according to the nature of the enterprise and its environment" (p. 51). Because of the various types of possible