Final answer:
An organization should use performance evaluations to assess if its management development program has increased managers' performance. These evaluations should be straightforward, provide usable results for program managers, and be aligned with the program's complexity and goals to enhance effectiveness.
Step-by-step explanation:
To assess whether a management development program has increased its managers' performance, an organization should utilize a form of performance evaluation. These evaluations review and discuss the performance of assigned duties and responsibilities. They are an opportunity to bring up any concerns or problems, as well as an occasion for the employee to address any challenges faced. In this case, since the objective is to assess the impact of a specific program, it is important that the evaluation is simple and do-able, fully planned with a clear framework, and provides results in a format that is useful and usable for the program managers.
Program-based evaluations help provide insights into various aspects such as class timing preferences, the development of student organizations, the availability of advisors, the helpfulness of field placement coordinators, and employment outcomes of graduates, which in turn can lead to informed suggestions for program improvement. This approach aligns with the philosophy of community psychology, which emphasizes the importance of assessing both areas in need of improvement and areas of success from the outset of any change effort.
It is critical that evaluation efforts are congruent with the program efforts in terms of complexity, length, and cost. Ensuring that the evaluations provide actionable insights allows for the enhancement of program efficacy and, consequently, management performance.