2003, evaluation of the working conditions in OSCE field missions, in co-operation with the OSCE Secretariat and funded by the German Federal Government

This project, commissioned by the OSCE Secretariat and funded by German voluntary contributions started in August 2002. It examined recruitment, preparation, working and employment conditions of OSCE seconded field personnel and analysed to what extent employees are able to contribute to the achievement of the organization's goals.

In order to achieve the objectives referred to above, we distinguished between two areas of analysis: On the one hand, we considered the current system of recruitment, selection and preparation of OSCE seconded mission members and whether it fulfils the requirements to deliver highly qualified and prepared personnel working in OSCE field missions. On the other hand, we examined working and employment conditions of OSCE seconded personnel and its impact on their performance.

We assumed that even a highly competent, well-selected and well-prepared employee will face difficulties in fulfilling his/her task in the most effective and efficient way if non-supportive working and/or employment conditions exist. We also considered the consequences of working or employment conditions for the motivation and the commitment of the individual mission member.

We mainly based our research on surveys using a combination of interview methods, addressing all relevant groups working in OSCE field missions. We also included representatives of the OSCE Secretariat. We distinguished between both actors in a working relationship: employee and employer.

For the first group, we addressed all seconded mission members working in OSCE field presences by carrying out a large-scale structured interview survey. We constructed a questionnaire with 65 closed multiple choice and a number of open questions, including sufficient space for additional comments. The questionnaires were pre-tested and afterwards sent to all OSCE seconded mission members working in OSCE field presences. We received a total response rate of 59.2 per cent (517 out of 870 questionnaires respectively).

For the employer side, we conducted around 60 in-depth interviews with senior managers in the missions (heads of missions, deputy heads of missions, heads of departments, heads of field offices, personal officers) and at the OSCE Secretariat in Vienna. The interviews were run on more or less the same schedule as the large-scale survey of seconded mission members but with a relatively free format. For this purpose, we undertook several trips to Vienna and OSCE missions in the Balkans, the Caucasus and Central Asia.

The findings of the project presented in a report were submitted to the OSCE Secretariat in December 2003.

Contact: Dr Wolfgang Zellner

2003, evaluation of EC Pilot Training Courses on Civilian Aspects of Crisis Management

The evaluation examined the overall effectiveness of the EU pilot courses with respect towards their contribution to the development of common training standards. Strengths and weaknesses in planning and implementing the first pilot training courses, held between January and July 2003, were assessed in order to provide guidance for further elaborating course outlines and successfully establishing personnel pools for rapid deployment in crisis management operations.

The evaluation focused on the main objectives of the EU training as such. It had to be determined and identified whether its underlying concept and strategy match the requirements for delivering effective training in the area of civilian aspects of crisis management. This included three steps of analysis and three leading research questions:

§ Training objectives: What is the main goal of a particular training course? Why has it been identified as a priority? What does it wants to achieve? Who is considered to be trained? § Curricula: Has the defined goal been translated into coherent and consistent training modules? § Course implementation: Have the courses been successfully implemented? Did the respective outcome match the training objectives?

The findings of the evaluation were comprised in a report delivered to the EU Group on Training in August 2003. The summary of the findings were presented at the International Conference on "Civilian Crisis Management Training – The Role of the EU" from 21 – 22 October 2003 in Rome.

Contact: Dr Wolfgang Zellner