|
IRIN Evaluation Report - March 2003
by Graham Mytton & Sharon Rusu
Part 4: IRIN's Management Challenges
-
This evaluation has reviewed IRIN's various management challenges and assessed IRIN's performance in meeting these challenges against two benchmarks and three indicators. Despite having to cope with a complex administrative system, and uncertain funding, IRIN manages to produce well-respected and reputable products whose relevance and viability are fully endorsed by its subscribers. That IRIN's products are highly valued by its users is, as noted elsewhere, the primary indicator of good management. In this regard, IRIN's management strengths are clearly linked to excellence in products and service. Some key challenges continue and are highlighted below.
Future Considerations
-
The evaluation highlighted some key areas of challenge for IRIN in the future. These are outlined below:
- A central challenge for IRIN is how to move beyond chronic funding deficits without compromising its credibility as a humanitarian news service and network. IRIN has already begun 'belt-tightening' in 2003 with a move to consolidate its products and services and a zero-based budget. Beyond its power to eliminate, however, is its predictable shortfall at the end of each fiscal year. Donor assistance to implement a revolving fund to cover the gap would help IRIN to mange more effectively this yearly dilemma.
- A related challenge is sustaining a high level of excellence without growth. This is not easy when subscribers would like to see a global IRIN. Given IRIN's commitment to excellence, spreading its resources more thinly is not the answer to this problem of coverage. As evidenced by the attestations of its subscribers, IRIN is covering areas that are critical to their information needs. IRIN has managed, despite its many obstacles, to strike the right balance in its coverage in Africa. Central Asia, too, has had positive reviews most recently as a result of the Web Special on internal displacement. That subscribers want expansion into other areas is understandable. In some ways IRIN is the victim of its own success. Subscribers attest to IRIN's excellence, which comes at a cost in terms of high quality staff, dedicated management and rigorous quality control. Management and subscribers acknowledge a causal link between IRIN's success and its dynamism in identifying gaps in reporting and having the initiative to ensure that they are addressed. IRIN's challenge is to ensure that the dynamism continues, while consolidation around key areas to further already ongoing cost-savings are carried out. That IRIN has managed, despite obstacles, to strike the right balance is clearly supported by subscriber attestation as to the excellence of its products and services.
- IRIN's major challenge then is to continue to introduce cost-saving measures where it can in line with strategic planning, while maintaining the quality of its products and services. The first steps towards these goals are in process, others will necessarily follow as IRIN management moves to consolidate its operations in 2003.
[Ends]
|
|
