The Search for High Performance in Organizations - A Study of the CHPS Framework

Abstract: In the last decades, scholars, managers and consultants have shown increased interest in identifying the characteristics of high-performance organizations. Searching for ways to improve organizational performance and respond to a growing demand for quality products and services in a rapidly changing environment, this subject is of special interest of managers in both public and private organizations. Literature review of high-performance theory reveals that most theories and frameworks on high-performance organizations have been developed by researching private organizations, using financial yardsticks to define and measure high-performance. Less research has been done on high-performance in public organizations, where financial measurements are not necessarily the most relevant ones. However, some companies claim to have developed a framework that is equally applicable to all types of organizations, the Stockholm based company CHPS being one. The aim of this research is to analyze the CHPS framework on high-performance organizations and explore whether it is a suitable tool for creating an environment of high-performance within different types of organizations. To do so, six organizations of different types, some of which have worked with the CHPS framework and some of which have not, were researched. Adapting a pragmatic, mixed-method approach, both a quantitative and a qualitative study was used. The findings suggest that both public and private organizations can work systematically on improving the key factors of the CHPS framework and, by doing so, improve their organizational performance with regards to the goals of the organization. However, as the concept of high-performance in organizations is highly contextual and subject to different definitions, the findings cannot give concrete answers as to whether the framework can be used to create an organizational environment that fosters high-performance. Furthermore, the findings suggest that managers of different types of organizations consider the key factors of the CHPS framework highly relevant to improving organizational performance. In conclusion, the findings hint at the validity of the CHPS framework as a suitable tool for both public and private organizations aiming to improve their organizational performance.