First External Management Review of CIMMYT, 1988

Report of an external management review of CIMMYT conducted in 1988 concurrently with an external program review by a panel chaired by Don Mentz. The document also contains transmittals from the panel chair, and the CGIAR Executive Secretary, as well as the response of CIMMYT's Board of Trustees. This review completed the first round of EMRs.The review focused on five aspects of CIMMYT: 1) its relationships with the Government of Mexico, stakeholders, its national agricultural research clients, and other CGIAR centers; 2) its organizational culture; 3) its governance, leadership, and decision making processes, including the performance of its board of trustees and director general; 4) its management of administrative, financial, information, and in particular human resources; and 5) management of research and training activities as the center moved to implement its strategic plan. Review Panel recommendations include: greater attention by the board to performing all its critical functions, and improvement of its internal structure and procedures; appointment of a deputy director general for research and training; establishment of a management committee headed by the director general; strengthening the accountability and performance evaluation criteria for units and individuals; developing a project-based management and budget system; international recruitment of a Human Resources Officer; relieving the financial burden on national staff resulting from the depressed state of the Mexican economy; adopting a fund raising strategy; and increasing the prominence of the internal audit function.Agenda document at TAC 47, and the CGIAR meeting of May-June, 1989.