Abstract: | The authors have been working to improve clients’ institutional performance through a framework for institutional assessment and self-assessment. In this framework, performance is defined in terms of mission fulfillment, efficiency, and ongoing relevance (the extent to which the organization adapts to changing conditions in its environment). The framework implies that certain contextual forces drive performance: the internal capacities and motivation of an organization and its external environment. The article presents the framework as well as case studies of several institutions that are using the framework to assess themselves. |