PERSONNEL AND MANAGEMENT ANALYSIS SURVEY OF OPPORTUNITIES INDUSTRIALIZATION CENTERS INTERNATIONAL (OICI) CENTRAL OFFICE AT PHILADELPHIA.

AID has contracted OICI to assist in establishing Opportunities Industrialization Centers (non-formal vocational training centers) in Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Kenya. The evaluation is based on interviews with OICI staff and AID/W officials. OICI and AID are not using common indicators to measure program performance. OICI measures effectiveness in terms of numbers of the target group trained, the skills in which they are trained, job placements, and job retention. AID measures OICI"s performance in terms of viability (i.e., achievement of 100% local funding of the training centers) within the 3-year target for self-sufficiency. In order to obtain agreement on performance indicators, use of the logframe is suggested. AID and OICI should also seek agreement on a realistically longer period for attainment of full local funding. For new OICI programs which are under preparation, both parties should re-examine the practicability of the underlying concept of complete viability in OICI"s target countries. As OICI seeks to relate to the needs of new target countries, it may depart radically from service and manufacturing industry skill training in which it has expertise. Should AID be in accord with OICI entry into rural development and agricultural production, OICI will have to add agricultural/rural development expertise to its headquarters staff. OICI has 17 positions: 11 professional and 6 clerical/secretarial. This headquarters staff backstops 16 US technicians and 45 local nationals in 4 African nations. While the central office staff may well be irreducible, the type and quality of staff can be modified to assure better levels of accomplishment. OICI should tighten qualifications for some of its professional positions to strengthen its planning, analytical, and evaluative capabilities. In addition, OICI is urged to utilize more fully the seasoned staff of OIC/America and other entities established by Rev. Sullivan.