Measuring the Immeasurable? The Effects-Based Approach in Comprehensive Peace Operations

Abstract

Building on theories on new public management and results-based management, this article addresses performance measurement in comprehensive peace operations. More specifically it focuses on the Effects-Based Approach to Operations (EBAO) that is currently implemented by the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan to measure the performance on a wide range of areas such as security, governance, and socio-economic development. The article reveals and structures several key challenges in the complex measurement process, varying from technical (e.g., the lack of targets or benchmarks for an indicator) to fundamental ones (e.g., the large controversy between intuition-driven and assessment-driven leadership) and provides recommendations to meet these challenges.

Keywords:

• comprehensive peace operations
• results based management
• performance measurement