Computer-based method for assessing competence of an organization

1. A computer-based method for assessing competence of an organization comprising multiple organizational units, the method comprising:

storing scores, in a memory device of a computer, corresponding to answers from each of the organizational units in response to a set of questions, the organizational units corresponding to different groups of individuals, and each of the different groups performing a different function within the organization;

assigning, in the computer, each of said scores to the respective one of the organizational units;

calculating, in the computer, total scores for the organizational units, each of the total scores being calculated by adding up the scores assigned to the respective organizational unit;

calculating, in the computer, weighted total scores for the organizational units, each of the weighted total scores being calculated by adding up weighted maximum scores assigned to the questions for each organizational unit, the weighted maximum scores each depending on the respective organizational unit and the respective question; and

calculating, in the computer, competence levels of the organizational units that are scaled to a scale of competence defined by a numerical range of zero to a maximum competence value by multiplying the maximum competence value by a ratio of the total score calculated for the respective organizational unit to the weighted total score calculated for the respective organizational unit.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the questions relate to defined aspects of the organization, wherein the computer the total scores of the organizational units are calculated for a specific one of the defined aspects of the organization, each of the total scores being calculated by adding up the scores assigned to the respective organizational unit and to the specific one of the defined aspects of the organization, wherein in the computer the weighted total scores of the organizational units are calculated for a specific one of the defined aspects of the organization, each of the weighted total scores being calculated by adding up the weighted maximum scores assigned to the specific one of the defined aspects of the organization, and wherein in the computer the competence levels of the organizational units are calculated for the specific one of the defined aspects of the organization, each of the competence levels being calculated by scaling the total scores of the respective organizational unit to a scale of competence reaching from zero to a maximum competence, the maximum competence corresponding to the weighted total score calculated for the respective organizational unit and the specific one of the defined aspects of the organization.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

generating a graphical representation in one common graph of the competence levels calculated for the organizational units, so that the competence levels are visualized, so that deficiencies of the competence levels from the maximum competence are visualized, and so that differences between the competence levels of the organizational units are visualized.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the calculating the competence levels includes calculating and storing competence levels for the organizational units of more than one organization, and the generating includes generating a graphical representation in one common graph of the competence levels of organizational units of more than one organization, so that differences between the competence levels of different organizations are visualized.

5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

selecting one of the organizational units; and

dividing the set of questions into different subsets, wherein the different subsets are activated or deactivated individually for the selected organizational unit, and wherein deactivated subsets are not included in calculating the competence levels of the organizational units.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

storing data about answers from each of the organizational units; and

determining with an expert system the score related to an answer by rating the data about the respective answer.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the questions relate to defined aspects of the organization and included in the defined aspects of the organization are an aspect of organizational resources relating to management of resources and know-how, an aspect of organizational information relating to management of documentation and information, and an aspect of organizational structure relating to processes, workflows, and organizational set-up.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein an insurance company is used as the organization, and wherein included in the organizational units are a management unit, an underwriting unit, a risk management unit, a claims processing unit, and a re-insurance unit.

9. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising deciding whether an additional individual from a particular organizational unit is provided with the set of questions.

10. A computer readable storage medium encoded with instructions, which when executed by a computer causes the computer to implement a method comprising:

storing scores, in a memory device of the computer, corresponding to answers from each of multiple organizational units of an organization in response to a set of questions, the organizational units corresponding to different groups of individuals, and each of the different groups performing a different function within the organization;

assigning, in the computer, each of said scores to the respective one of the organizational units;

calculating, in the computer, total scores for the organizational units, each of the total scores being calculated by adding up the scores assigned to the respective organizational unit;

calculating, in the computer, weighted total scores for the organizational units, each of the weighted total scores being calculated by adding up weighted maximum scores assigned to the questions for each organizational unit, the weighted maximum scores each depending on the respective organizational unit and the respective question; and

calculating, in the computer, competence levels of the organizational units, that are scaled to a scale of competence defined by a numerical range of zero to a maximum competence value by multiplying the maximum competence value by a ratio of the total score calculated for the respective organizational unit to the weighted total score calculated for the respective organizational unit.

11. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 10 , wherein the calculating the total scores includes calculating the total scores of the organizational units for a specific one of a set of defined aspects of the organization, each of the total scores being calculated by adding up the scores assigned to the respective organizational unit and to the specific one of the defined aspects of the organization, that the computer calculates the weighted total scores of the organizational units for a specific one of the defined aspects of the organization, each of the weighted total scores being calculated by adding up the weighted maximum scores assigned to the specific one of the defined aspects of the organization, and that the computer calculates the competence levels of the organizational units for the specific one of the defined aspects of the organization, each of the competence levels being calculated by scaling the total scores of the respective organizational unit to a scale of competence reaching from zero to a maximum competence, the maximum competence corresponding to the weighted total score calculated for the respective organizational unit and the specific one of the defined aspects of the organization.

12. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 10 , generating a graphical representation in one common graph of the competence levels calculated for the organizational units, so that the competence levels are visualized, so that deficiencies of the competence levels from the maximum competence are visualized, and so that differences between the competence levels of the organizational units are visualized.

13. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 12 , wherein the calculating the competence levels includes calculating and storing competence levels for the organizational units of more than one organization, and the generating includes generating a graphical representation in one common graph of the competence levels calculated for the organizational units, so that differences between the competence levels of different organizations are visualized.

14. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises:

selecting one of the organizational units; and

dividing the set of questions into different subsets, wherein the different subsets are activated or deactivated individually for the selected organizational unit, and wherein deactivated subsets are not included in calculating the competence levels or the organizational units.

15. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises:

storing data about answers from each of the organizational units; and

determining with an expert system the score related to an answer by rating the data about the respective answer.

16. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 10 , wherein the questions relate to defined aspects of the organization and the defined aspects of the organization to include an aspect of organizational resources relating to management of resources and know-how, an aspect of organizational information relating to management of documentation and information, and an aspect of organizational structure relating to processes, workflows, and organizational set-up.

17. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 10 , wherein an insurance company is used as the organization, and the organizational units include a management unit, an underwriting unit, a risk management unit, a claims processing unit, and a re-insurance unit.

18. A computer-based method for assessing competence of an organization comprising multiple organizational units, the method comprising:

storing scores, in a memory device in a computer, corresponding to answers from each of the organizational units in response to a set of questions, the organizational units corresponding to different groups of individuals, and each of the different groups performing a different function within the organization;

assigning, in the computer, each of said scores to the respective one of the organizational units and to the respective one of the questions;

weighting, in the computer, said scores with weighting factors, the weighting factors being determined by the computer based on the organizational unit and the question assigned to the respective score;

calculating, in the computer, total scores for the organizational units, each of the total scores being calculated by adding up the weighted scores assigned to the respective organizational unit; and

calculating, in the computer, competence levels of the organizational units, that are scaled to a scale of competence defined by a numerical range of zero to a maximum competence value by multiplying the maximum competence value by a ratio of the total score calculated for the respective organizational unit to the weighted scores calculated for the respective organizational unit.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the questions relate to defined aspects of the organization, wherein in the computer the total scores of the organizational units are calculated for a specific one of the defined aspects of the organization, each of the total scores being calculated by adding up the weighted scores assigned to the respective organizational unit and to the specific one of the defined aspects of the organization, and wherein in the computer the competence levels of the organizational units are calculated for the specific one of the defined aspects of the organization, each of the competence levels being calculated by scaling the total scores of the respective organizational unit to a scale of competence reaching from zero to a maximum competence, the maximum competence corresponding to a perfect total score for the specific one of the defined aspects of the organization.

20. The method according to claim 18 , further comprising:

generating a graphical representation in one common graph of the competence levels calculated for the organizational units, so that the competence levels are visualized, so that deficiencies of the competence levels from the maximum competence are visualized, and so that differences between the competence levels of the organizational units are visualized.

21. A computer readable storage medium encoded with instructions, which when executed by a computer causes the computer to implement a method comprising:

storing scores, in a memory device of the computer, corresponding to answers from each of multiple organizational units of an organization in response to a set of questions, the organizational units corresponding to different groups of individuals, and each of the different groups performing a different function within the organization;

assigning, in the computer, each of said scores to the respective one of the organizational units and to the respective one of the questions;

weighting, in the computer, said scores with weighting factors, the weighting factors being determined by the computer based on the organizational unit and the question assigned to the respective score;

calculating, in the computer, total scores for the organizational units, each of the total scores being calculated by adding up the weighted scores assigned to the respective organizational unit; and

calculating, in the computer, competence levels of the organizational units that are scaled to a scale of competence defined by a numerical range of zero to a maximum competence value by multiplying the maximum competence value by a ratio of the total score calculated for the respective organizational unit to the weighted scores calculated for the respective organizational unit.

22. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 21 , wherein the calculating the total scores includes calculating the total scores of the organizational units for a specific one of a set of defined aspects of the organization, each of the total scores being calculated by adding up the weighted scores assigned to the respective organizational unit and to the specific one of the defined aspects of the organization, and that the computer calculates the competence levels of the organizational units for the specific one of the defined aspects of the organization, each of the competence levels being calculated by scaling the total scores of the respective organizational unit to a scale of competence reaching from zero to a maximum competence, the maximum competence corresponding to a perfect total score for the specific one of the defined aspects of the organization.

23. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 21 , wherein the method further comprises:

generating a graphical representation in one common graph of the competence levels calculated for the organizational units, so that the competence levels are visualized so that deficiencies of the competence levels from the maximum competence are visualized, and so that differences between the competence levels of the organizational units are visualized.