Insights on organizational effectiveness and efficiency: A meta-synthesis of UN Women evaluations

This meta-synthesis brings together evidence from evaluations of UN Women’s organizational effectiveness and efficiency outputs. In line with the UN Women Strategic Plan 2018–2021, the synthesis focuses on issues related to the Entity’s UN coordination efforts, strategic partnerships, knowledge management, innovation, results-based management, streamlining of business processes, and improvements in the management of financial and human resources.

The purpose of this synthesis is to contribute to UN Women’s knowledge base and learning on the organizational effectiveness and efficiency outputs prioritized in the Strategic Plan. The scope of the analysis covers all evaluations commissioned by UN Women between 2018 and 2019, as well as corporate evaluations from 2017. A combination of quantitative and qualitative methods is used to analyse and identify emerging trends. Given the focus on organizational effectiveness and efficiency, the analysis and findings are organized around the related four outputs of the UN Women Strategic Plan.

In addition to highlighting progress, the synthesis captures commonly identified drivers of change in the form of good practices and innovation, as well as impediments.