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The characteristics of a high performance organization

Article  in  Business Strategy Series · March 2007

DOI: 10.1108/17515630710684178

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 The Characteristics of a High Performance Organization
A.A. de Waal

- Published in Business Strategy Series, volume 8, number 3, 2007 (Emerald) –

Purpose
To identify the characteristics of high performance organizations (HPO) so managers can start
improving their organizations in such a way that these also become HPOs.

Design/methodology/approach
The research is based on a meta analysis of the results of 91 HPO studies performed in the last
and present decade.

Findings
The results of the analysis offer a first picture of what a modern HPO looks like and provides the
characteristics managers need to focus on in order to turn their companies into HPOs.

Research limitations/implications
Despite an extensive literature search, potentially valuable studies might have been missed. Also,
the studies look by definition at what organizations have done in the past, therefore not
necessarily giving a guarantee that these characteristics will also be valid and of importance for
the dynamic future. Further HPO research should focus on validating the characteristics found in
this study so management can start improving with confidence their organizations. Also,
additional research should aim to validate the link between the HPO characteristics and
organizational performance, in order to make sure it is worthwhile for companies to improve
themselves in the direction indicated in this article.

Practical implications
As it is the task of every manager to realize the goals of the organization by achieving
outstanding performance in the organizational unit he or she is responsible for, managers are
under great pressure to deal effectively with trends and developments. Therefore, more is know
about the elements which make up sustainable organizational performance, the easier is becomes
for managers to improve their organizations in a focused way.

Originality/value
The results of the search for HPO characteristics have been documented mainly in the popular
management literature, scientific research into HPOs until now has not been abundant. Therefore

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most evidence is anecdotic from nature, consisting of surveys and case studies. The research
described in this article forms the start of a thorough investigation of HPO characteristics which
is executed in a scientific way while at the same time yielding practical results with which
managers can start improving their organizations.

Abstract
Ever since the publication of Peters and Waterman’s landmark study In Search Of Excellence
(1982) and the bestsellers Built To Last and Good to Great of Collins (1997, 2001), there has
been a strong interest in identifying the characteristics of high performance organizations
(HPOs). This interest has been fired by the rapid changes in the competitive environment of
companies and the pressure of ever increasing demands of the external environment and
stakeholders. By identifying the characteristics of HPOs, organizations hope to be able to
improve themselves in a focus way so they can start achieving sustainable performance. This
article describes the results of a meta analysis of 91 studies into high performance organizations
(performed since 1992). The analysis yielded characteristics with regard to the organizational
design, structure, processes, technology, leadership, people, and culture, and the external
environment which seem to influence the ability of organizations to achieve high performance.
These characteristics can guide managers as to which actions they need to take to lead their
organizations to superior results.

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 INTRODUCTION
In the wake of Peters and Waterman’s landmark study In Search Of Excellence (1982) and the
bestsellers Built To Last (Collins and Porras, 1997) and Good to Great (Collins, 2001), there has
been a strong interest in identifying the characteristics of high performance organizations
(HPOs). This interest has been fired by the rapid changes in the competitive environment of
companies (Laudicina, 2005), forcing them to “adapt faster and faster to growing international
demands for flexibility and speed and to compete simultaneously on the basis of development
cycle time, price, quality, flexibility, fast and reliable delivery, and after-sales support for their
products” (Kasarda and Rondinelli, 1998). As a result of the changes in industry and society,
governmental agencies too are subject to changes. They have to rapidly reshape themselves into
nimble and flexible organizations which put the interests of citizens central, a movement which is
known as New Public Management (Zeppou and Sotirakou, 2002; Pollitt, 2003). This article
describes the results of a meta analysis of HPO studies that have been published the past fifteen
years in the literature. From the analysis several characteristics appear that seem to be decisive
factors for achieving lasting good performance.

Basis for the meta analysis is an extensive search of both the scientific and popular management
literature. Criteria for including studies in the analysis were:
1. The study has been performed in the last or present decade (no earlier than 1990) and is aimed
specifically at identifying HPO characteristics or best practices in certain aspects of business
(such as processes, human resources, or technology) which are explicitly linked to achieving
high performance. Reason for the chosen time period is that there have been so many changes
the last decade in the competitive landscape (more globalization, increased competitive and
legislatory pressures, shorter product and organizational life cycles, more independent and
self-assured employees) that it is assumed that these changes render the results of studies older
than ten years largely invalid or at least less relevant.
2. The study consists of either a survey with a sufficient number of respondents so that its results
can be assumed to be (fairly) representative, or of in-depth case studies of several companies
so the results are at least valid for more than a single organization.
3. The written documentation contains an account and justification of the research method,
research approach and selection of the research population, a clear analysis, and clear
retraceable conclusions and results. This way, the quality of the research can be assessed.

No distinction was made in the industries of the organizations studied or the countries these
companies are established. These distinctions could be the topic of further study. Based on the

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described criteria, the literature search yielded 91 studies which satisfied the criteria completely
or partly.1 Three types of studies can be distinguished:
A. A study which satisfies all three criteria. These studies form the basis for the identification
of HPO characteristics. Thirty-six of these A studies were found.
B. A study which satisfies criterion 1 and 2 but only partly criterion 3, because although the
research approach seems (fairly) thorough there is no clear description and justification of
the method used. These studies form an additional input to the identification of HPO
characteristics. Twenty-five of these B studies were found.
C. A study which basically satisfies criteria 1 and 2 but not criterion 3, so there is no basis for
generalizing the study findings. These studies can be used as further support for HPO
characteristics identified in category A and B studies. Thirty of these C studies were found.

HPO DEFINITION AND FRAMEWORK

Many definitions of a high performance organization can be found in the literature. These
definitions often describe achievements or attributes of a HPO such as: strong financial results,
satisfied customers and employees, high levels of individual initiative, productivity and
innovation, aligned performance measurement and reward systems, and strong leadership
(Epstein, 2004). A way to proceed to a general definition is to identify common themes in the
definitions given in the A, B and C studies and to compose a uniform definition based on these
common themes. In this way, the following themes can be discerned:
− a HPO achieves sustained growth, which is better than the financial performance of its peer
group over a period of at least five years;
− a HPO has a great ability to adapt quickly to changes;
− a HPO has a long-term orientation;
− the management processes of an HPO are integrated and the strategy, structure, processes and
people are aligned throughout the organization;
− a HPO focuses on continuously improving and reinventing its core capabilities;
− a HPO spends much effort on developing its workforce.

Based on the common themes, the following definition of an HPO is proposed:

A High Performance Organization is an organization that achieves financial results
that are better than those of its peer group over a longer period of time, by being able
to adapt well to changes and react to these quickly, by managing for the long term, by
setting up an integrated and aligned management structure, by continuously improving
its core capabilities, and by truly treating the employees as its main asset.

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A complete overview of the 91 studies can be found in Waal, A.A. de (2005), The foundations of Nirvana, the
characteristics of a high performance organisation, white paper, www.andredewaal.nl

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In order to categorize the characteristics of an HPO, the framework of Kotter and Heskett (1992)
is combined with that of Scott Morton (2003). The Kotter and Heskett framework defines four
factors which influence the behavior of people in organizations: organizational culture;
organizational structure (formal structure, systems, processes and policies); leadership of the
organization; and external environment (competitors/comparable organizations, public and
legislative organizations). Scott Morton’s framework enlarges the external environment factor by
adding customers, suppliers and partners, and broadens the framework by putting individuals &
roles into it and by specifically adding strategy, organizational design and technology to the
organizational structure factor. The factors in the resulting framework (Exhibit 1) influence the
degree in which organizational members exhibit performance-driven behavior which in turn
designates whether the organization is an HPO (De Waal, 2004).

External orientation

Organizational structure
• Organizational design
• Strategy
• Process management
Behavior
• Technology
of High
Performance
organizational Organization

Organizational culture members

• Leadership
• Individuals & Roles
• Culture

Exhibit 1: Framework with the eight factors influencing high performance

HPO CHARACTERISTICS
The method used to identify the HPO characteristics is as follows. For each of the 91 literature
sources, the elements the authors give as being important for becoming an HPO are identified.
These elements are classified in one of the eight factors of the HPO framework. Subsequently
similar elements are grouped into categories within each factor. Then, all factors are put in a table
and compared to each other by calculating their ‘weighted importance’ which depends on the
number of times the underlying elements occur in the various study types. To weigh the
elements, each element from study type A gets 6 points, B and C get 3 respectively 1 point. The

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weighted importance is calculated by totaling the points of all elements for the characteristic.
Finally, the characteristics which have a weighted importance of at least 30 points are chosen as
the HPO characteristics that potentially make up an HPO. In the next paragraphs the HPO
characteristics (printed in italics) are discussed.

Organizational design
A HPO stimulates cross-functional and cross-organizational collaboration by making teamwork
and collaboration top priorities of management, fostering teamwork by stressing the importance
of teams for the performance of the organization, and developing a team feeling by creating team
commitment, getting everyone on the same team, and establishing shared responsibility. A HPO
simplifies and flattens the organization by reducing boundaries and barriers between and around
units, thus getting rid of bureaucracy and organizational complexity. A HPO fosters
organization-wide sharing of information, knowledge and best practices by creating the
infrastructure and incentives for these. A HPO immediately realigns the business with changing
internal and external circumstances by setting up an adaptable business model which is easily
altered based on opportunities and chances in the external environment and shifts in customer
values, buyers needs and market conditions.

Strategy
A HPO defines a strong vision that excites and challenges which is based on a wining strategy or
‘big idea’ and which is continuously propagated. A HPO balances long-term focus and short-
term focus in order to safeguard the long-term continuity of the business and its contribution to
the world, and at the same time obtain short-term results which makes it possible to plan against
possible futures. A HPO sets clear, ambitious, measurable and achievable goals which raise
levels of aspiration and thereby create a sense of stretch. A HPO creates clarity and a common
understanding of the organization’s direction and strategy which results in a commonly held
strategic mind-set among organizational members which is understood by everybody. A HPO
aligns strategy, goals, and objectives with the demands of the external environment so corporate
renewal is always based on customers’ need. A HPO adopts the strategy that will set the
company apart by developing many new options and alternatives to compensate for dying
strategies.

Process management
A HPO designs a good and fair reward and incentive structure which reinforces the design, core
values and strategy of the organization and supports a performance culture. A HPO continuously
simplifies and improves all the organization’s processes to improve its ability to respond to
events efficiently and effectively and to eliminate unnecessary procedures, work, and information

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overload. A HPO measures what matters to rigorously measure progress, consequently monitor
goal fulfillment and confront the brutal facts. A HPO reports to everyone financial and non-
financial information needed to drive improvement, so people can draw logical conclusions from
complex information and determine how to use the performance information to reach their goals.
A HPO continuously innovates products, processes and services thus constantly creating new
sources of competitive advantage by rapidly develop new products and services to respond to
market changes. A HPO strives to be a best practice organization by being world-class in
everything the company does, constantly striving to improve productivity and quality,
continuously identifying opportunities for improvement, searching for best practices, and
executing flawless operations. A HPO creates highly interactive internal communication through
which a continuous and open information exchange takes place and commitment is created. A
HPO deploys resources effectively to activities that create value. A HPO strives for continuous
process optimalization by connecting the entire value chain and applying value chain efficiency
models.

Technology
A HPO implements flexible ICT-systems throughout the organization by introducing ICT-systems
everywhere in the workplace, creating an accessible and credible database, having back-up
systems to take over when accidents happen, and using the internet to share information and
streamline transactions. A HPO applies user-friendly ICT-tools to increase usage by developing
ICT-systems in close cooperation with users and by cultivating organizational members’
receptivity and strategic IT-mindset.

Leadership
In a HPO trust relationships with people on all levels are maintained and strengthened because
loyalty is valued, smart people are treated smart, people are shown respect, a learning attitude is
fostered, individual relationships between managers and employees are created and maintained,
belief and trust in others is encouraged, and people are treated fairly. Leaders of a HPO live with
integrity and lead by example by being honest and sincere, showing commitment, enthusiasm and
respect., having a strong set of ethics and standards, being credible and consistent, maintaining a
sense of vulnerability and by not being arrogant. Leaders of a HPO apply decisive, action-focused
decision-making by avoid over-analysis but coming up with decisions and effective actions,
while at the same time fostering action-taking by others. Leaders of a HPO coach and facilitate
employees by being supportive, helping them, protecting them from outside interference, and by
being available. Leaders of a HPO stretch themselves and their people by setting high standards
and stretch goals and continuously raising the performance bar. Leaders of a HPO develop an
effective, focused and strong management style by communicating the values and by making sure

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the strategy has been received and embraced by organizational members. Leaders of a HPO allow
experiments and mistakes by permitting taking risks, being willing to take risks themselves, and
seeing mistakes as an opportunity to learn. Leaders of a HPO inspire people to accomplish
extraordinary results by applying charismatic leadership, creating a larger-than-life mindset,
inspiring all to do their best, and mobilizing individual initiative. Leaders of a HPO grow leaders
from within by encouraging people to become leaders, filling positions with internal talent, and
promoting from within. Leaders of a HPO stimulate change and improvement by continuously
striving for self-awareness and renewal and developing dynamic managerial capabilities to
enhance flexibility, and by being personally involved in change activities. A HPO assembles a
diverse and complementary management team and workforce to help spot the complexities in
operations and to incite creativity in solving them. Leaders of a HPO are committed to the
organization for the long haul by balancing common purpose with self-interest, and teaching
organizational members to put the needs of the enterprise as a whole first. Leaders of a HPO are
confidently humble and serve instead of lead the company. Leaders of a HPO hold people
responsible for results and are decisive about non-performers by keeping their focus on
achievement of results, maintaining clear accountability for performance, and making tough
decisions.

Individuals & roles

A HPO creates a learning organization by continuously investing in training and upgrading of
skills, establishing good management development and top-of-the-line training programs, and by
constantly identifying and accessing new competencies. A HPO attracts exceptional people with
a can-do attitude who fit the culture, nurtures highly talented employees and gives bright people
space to change and excel. A HPO engages and involves the workforce by involving people in
developing vision and values, in interactive discussions and the decision-making process and by
communicating issues and developments important to the organization. A HPO creates a safe
and secure workplace by giving people a sense of safety (physical and psychological) and job
security and by not laying-off people (until it cannot be avoided). A HPO masters the core
competencies and is an innovator in them by deciding and sticking to what the company does
best, keeping core competencies inside the firm and outsourcing non-core competencies. A HPO
develops people to be resilient and flexible and recruits a workforce with maximum flexibility. A
HPO aligns employee behavior and values with company values and direction at all
organizational levels by translate vision into local objectives and letting individuals realize they
have accountabilities and obligations to themselves and the organization.

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Culture
A HPO empowers people and gives them freedom to decide and act by devolving decision
making authority and giving autonomy to organizational members to operate, within clearly
established boundaries and constraints of what is allowed and what not. A HPO establishes clear,
strong and meaningful core values and makes sure they are widely shared within the company. A
HPO develops and maintains a performance-driven culture by fighting inertia and complacency,
challenging the enemies of a winning mindset, focusing strongly on getting high excellence in
whatever the organization does, and stimulating people to achieve high performance. A HPO
creates a culture of transparency, openness and trust by establishing a shared understanding,
openly sharing information and fostering informality. A HPO creates a shared identity and a
sense of community by ‘uniting the tribe’, cultivating a feeling of corporateness and adopting and
fostering an ‘all for one, one for all’ mentality.

External orientation
A HPO continuously strives to enhance customer value creation by learning what customers
want, understanding their values, building excellent relationships with them, having direct
contact with them, engaging them, being responsive to them, and focusing on continuously
enhancing customer value. A HPO maintains good and long-term relationships with all
stakeholders by networking broadly, being generous to society, and creating mutual, beneficial
opportunities and win-win relationships. A HPO monitors the environment consequently and
responds adequately to shifts and opportunities in the marketplace, by surveying the markets to
understand the context of the business, identifying trends and exploring scenarios, capturing
external information quickly and accurately, anticipating adversaries through careful study and
assessment, and by creating a warning system to spot changes to which the organization must
respond quickly. A HPO chooses to compete and compare with the best in the marketplace by
always striving for relative success compared to competitors and obtaining a leading market
position. A HPO grows through partnerships and being part of a value-creating network. A HPO
only enters new business that complement the company’s strengths and it has a balanced portfolio
by only acquiring new businesses that leverage existing customer relationships.

CONCLUSION
A first picture is appearing of what a modern HPO might look like. It should be remembered
however, that long-term studies into the birth, survival and death of organizations in America
show that “the company equivalent of El Dorado, the golden organization that continuously
performs better than the market never existed, it is a myth” (Foster and Kaplan, 2001). With this,
the warning of Strebel (2003) should be taken seriously that “to work effectively, best practice

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 has to be adapted to the specific situation a business is facing. Because the business and its
environment are continually evolving, best practice also has to be adapted to the times. What
matters is the right managerial practice, exploiting the right business drivers to adapt to and shape
the conditions facing a business over time.” Further HPO research is focusing on validating the
characteristics found in this study so management can start improving with confidence their
organizations. Also, additional research is looking to validate the link between the HPO
characteristics and organizational performance, in order to make sure it is worthwhile for
companies to improve themselves in the direction indicated in this article.

Dr. André A. de Waal MBA is associate professor strategic management at the Maastricht School
of Management and director of the Center for Organizational Performance. E-mail:
[email protected].

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