Benchmarking Practices in the Philippine Context: A Descriptive/ Comparative Study in the Baliuag University and the Bulacan State University

Abstract

Management is a process that systematizes the efforts made by the different departments of the organization in order to achieve its goals. It is done through the execution of its five basic functions that are planning, organizing, staffing, directing and controlling. Planning is the most important of the five functions for it initializes the development plans of the organization. Management especially planning is carried out well if the objectives of the organization are clearly communicated to the members of the organization. Communication thus plays a vital part in the accomplishment of the development plans of the organization. It must be made clear what type of planning is to be used for the objective of the organization. One of the many planning tools that can be used in terms of development is benchmarking. Benchmarking is the process of studying the organization and comparing it with other leading organization of the industry in order to assess their own status and identify their needs to equal the performance of the best in the field. Through benchmarking the organization may also identify its "best practices" to improve them. It is also through benchmarking that the organization may be able to acquire and exchange information that may be the basis of improvement. A handful of benchmarking books featured successful companies from the western part of the globe. Though unrecognized, Philippine organizations conduct their own benchmarking procedures. Their benchmarking activities need to be looked into to see their unique features. To do this, the researcher formulated the problem, "What are the patterns of benchmarking in the Bulacan State University and the Baliuag University?" The study aimed to expose some of the patterns of benchmarking practiced in the Philippines through studying the benchmarking techniques, information acquisition and development plan considerations of the two universities. To acquire the necessary information, the researcher had to obtain information from the upper level of the organizational hierarchy of the two universities. This is for the reason that the management staff is the one responsible for initializing the development plans in organizations. The study focused on the communication patterns, management styles and benchmarking procedures. It was limited only to the members and to the campuses of each organization. The study covered the conditions of both universities from their start to the present. The study used the descriptive/comparative approach to gather and present the data, characteristics, components and aspects of benchmarking. It also used the evaluation approach in assessing the impacts and outcomes of the studied benchmarking processes on the two universities. Descriptive/comparative study method was also used for the better assessment and comprehension of the concept of benchmarking. An interview schedule and a checklist in were used in gathering information about the benchmarking procedures of the two universities. The data obtained from the universities were analyzed in terms of the design and implementation of the benchmarking processes. The researcher had found out that the two universities were conducting modified internal, functional and generic benchmarking processes. The researcher also discovered that the universities were able to acquire information about the leading organizations through survey and print information. In doing so, the stakeholders of the universities such as their students, professors and staff were involved. From the data gathered, the researcher concluded that the development plans made and conducted by the Bulacan State University and the Baliuag University are the manifestations of the benchmarking practices of the two institutions. The development plans of uplifting and improving the services, facilities and work of the subordinates were the specific indicators of these patterns. The internal, functional and generic benchmarking patterns were traced from the development plans of the schools and were based on the requirements for them to rise to a higher status.