Measuring coastal organizations' effectiveness: A small island developing state example

This study examines effectiveness of coastal organizations in St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), and the relationships among effectiveness and several factors from the organization and management literature known to influence effectiveness, including regional context, demographic and social variables, and type of organization. Perceptions of the general public and those of staff members of coastal organizations in SVG are used for measuring organizational effectiveness. It is posited that as this small state, and others like it in the Caribbean and elsewhere, shift to more holistic management approaches, like Integrated Coastal Management and Ecosystem-Based Management, it becomes necessary to assess how effective the state's sector-based coastal organizations have been in delivering their mandates. Information on sector-based effectiveness can assist in formulating coastal zone management policies that will better serve the needs of small island states, like St. Vincent and the Grenadines.;Assessment of coastal organization effectiveness is seen as necessary since existing organizations will still form the basic management units in more holistic management initiatives. The assumption is that careful and transparent consideration of the ways different stakeholders understand management problems is essential to informative and effective dialogue. Also, it is argued that the focus of research on coastal management effectiveness has been on identifying uni-dimensional indicators of success of a program (or project), rather than measuring effectiveness of organizations as the unit responsible for carrying out various programs. This study uses a multi-dimensional approach to evaluate organizational effectiveness.;Perception surveys were used to gather data about five coastal zone organizations in St. Vincent and the Grenadines from two stakeholder groups: management staff and the general public. Most of the coastal zone management of the state falls under the mandate of these five organizations: the Central Water and Sewage Authority (a quasi-government organization) and the departments of Fisheries, Forestry, Environment and Planning (government organizations). The community survey was conducted in five communities of the state encompassing two main regions, the Grenadines and the Mainland. In total, 956 community questionnaires from the five communities and 96 staff questionnaires were completed. Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis, and Spearman Rho tests were the main statistical methods used to investigate relationships among variables.;The study found that organizational effectiveness varied among organizations, with the Central Water and Sewerage Authority having greater organizational capacity than other organizations. Also, perceptions of organizational effectiveness varied among stakeholder groups, with management staff more likely than the general public to think organizations were more effective. Certain factors, including region and type of organizations, were found to be related to organizational effectiveness. Demographic characteristics of age and level of education, normally found to be related to environmental attitudes and perceptions, were not related to organizational effectiveness in this study. However, gender showed some relationship with perceptions of organizational effectiveness in the staff survey.;The study has a number of implications for coastal zone management in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and other small island states in the Caribbean and elsewhere. In particular, the study can inform integrated coastal management and ecosystem-based management efforts in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The study highlights the need for regional considerations in setting coastal zone policies within the state. From a strategic and adaptive perspective, organizations can learn from the experiences of each other to create integrative and ecosystem policies conducive to St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The integration among views of staff and the general public can also play a significant role in facilitating appropriate coastal zone management strategies in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.