Process Orientation, Contextual Factors, and Organizational Performance: United Nations Umoja Project

Abstract

Process Orientation is technique that is widely used by most organizations that seek to improve their overall performance by carrying out process re-engineering. A process oriented organization focuses on the underlying processes within the organization to identify and address any bottlenecks in the organization performance. United Nations is one entity that has adopted a process view of doing business by implementing the UMOJA project that seeks to harmonize all its processes across the different UN entities. This is to result to harmonized processes and improved accountability. The main objective of the study was to seek an understanding on the contextual factors that affect organizations that adopts a process view in managing their resources. This in was addition to determine how those contextual factors affect the overall performance in any organization. The study was carried out using self administered questionnaires where the sample selected was 21 UN agencies in Nairobi with 4 representatives from each of the agencies support departments making a total sample of 84. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and presented in form of charts, tables, percentages, mean, standard deviation and regression analysis. The study found that organizational cultural, industrial and geographical context had positively and significantly influenced the success of the UN Umoja project. Further the study established that by determining and setting the right cultural environment, this would result in greater performance. The results also support the conclusion that an organization cannot achieve greater performance by only adopting a process view without taking into account the contextual factors.