STRATA strategy

Mission of the Organization

Building foundations for informed and insightful public policy decisions

This mission is a raison d’être of STRATA. The mission identifies the organization’s role in the state, reveals the public interest which it serves, and unites and inspires the organization’s current and potential employees.

Strategic goals

The mission of the organization is pursued by implementing four strategic goals:

  • To provide reliable insights and recommendations in order to achieve high-quality strategic solutions.
  • To be a proactive partner in establishing a culture of evidence-informed solutions.
  • To participate in shaping a positive public outlook on the importance of evidence.
  • To cultivate an independent team of experts working towards a common goal.

Value Proposition

The value proposition outlines the core values that the organization creates for its client. These values define the organization’s competitive advantage and distinctiveness.

Reliable Insights and Recommendations

Knowledge for solutions
Evidence-informed recommendations and strategic proposals

Systematic Approach

Holistic thinking
Long-term national approach
Cross-sectoral approach

Strategic Empowerment

Building competencies for creating evidence-informed policies
Receptivity to evidence
Partnership in initiating changes
Inclusive process and innovations

Commitments to Stakeholders

Strategic goals are related to the commitments to stakeholders. Four stakeholders are identified in the Strategy: 1) clients – the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, the Office of the Government and Ministries of the Republic of Lithuania, 2) the founder – the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, 3) the general public; 4) STRATA employees.

TO PROVIDE RELIABLE INSIGHTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE HIGH-QUALITY STRATEGIC SOLUTIONS

FOR CLIENTS

BE A PROACTIVE PARTNER IN ESTABLISHING A CULTURE OF EVIDENCE-INFORMED SOLUTIONS

FOR THE FOUNDER
(FOR THE GOVERNMENT)

Building foundations for informed and insightful public policy decisions

FOR THE PUBLIC

TO PARTICIPATE IN SHAPING A POSITIVE PUBLIC OUTLOOK ON THE IMPORTANCE OF EVIDENCE

FOR EACH OTHER

TO CULTIVATE AN INDEPENDENT TEAM OF EXPERTS WORKING TOWARDS A COMMON GOAL

Values

The implementation of the organization’s mission and commitments to stakeholders is guided by STRATA’s values: quality, team, openness and insight.

Quality

A commitment to continuous improvement and highest scientific standards in the application of quantitative and qualitative methods of public policy analysis.

Team

Cohesive, collaborative and inclusive internal and external relations, inspiring and stimulating relationships within the organization.

Openness

Attention to new ideas, methods, approaches and readiness for a constructive discussion.

Insight

An aim to detect the best opportunities for strategic solutions in complex and changing circumstances.

Strategy Implementation (Impact) Indicators

The table lists the indicators for the entire strategy implementation period, their baseline value in 2020 and their target values for 2021-2025. These indicators and values reflect the impact of the implementation of the organization’s strategic goals. The methodologies for calculating the values of the new indicators will be developed in Q1 2021, and the actual value will be calculated for the first time at the end of 2021.

No. Indicator Initial value 2020 Target values Data source
2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
1. Index of the use of expert and scientific knowledge in decision-making (Expert Advice) 6 6 6 7 7 8 Sustainable Governance Indicators
2. Proportion of high-quality ex-ante impact assessments of higher impact (per cent) legislation – 10 20 25 30 35 STRATA
3. Proportion of insights and recommendations used in decision-making – 30 50 60 70 80 STRATA
4. Staff engagement, percent – 20 30 50 60 80 STRATA

Strategic Directions Until 2025

The strategic directions determine the priority tasks of the organization under each strategic goal in the short-term (5-year period). For the implementation of these directions, the most significant part of STRATA’s human, financial and organizational resources will be allocated.

1. Clients | By creating a network of competences, capacities in public policy analysis have been developed

STRATA already conducts high-quality studies in the fields of education, science, innovation, human capital and the labour market and has established partnerships with the Bank of Lithuania, “Versli Lietuva”, “Investuok Lietuvoje”, the World Bank and other key partners. By further pooling the capacities of existing competence centres in the country, a powerful platform for the use of evidence in public policy practice will be formed. The creation and launch of this platform will enable a client to access the relevant knowledge required for the adoption of strategic public policy solutions on a one-stop service basis. This will respond to the increased need for data and expertise resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic as well as the increased demand for evidence in public policy due to the country’s participation in international organizations and other factors.

2. Founder | A functional evidence-based policy-making system created in collaboration with the founder, using best practices

Evidence-informed policy-making cannot function in only a single institution. Both Lithuanian analysts and international evaluators agree that essential elements of evidence-informed policy-making – access to the required evidence, capacities to pool and apply it in each area of public governance, and the attitudes and commitment of decision-makers to evidence-informed policy-making – are underdeveloped in the Lithuanian public governance system. As a mandated government think tank with the required experience, reputation and international connections, STRATA is the most suitable partner for the Government for enabling an effective evidence-informed policy-making system.

3. Public | Increased interest in evidence when adopting strategic solutions

Increasing the role of evidence in strategic decision-making creates the preconditions not only for better quality decision-making, but also for greater public trust in public authorities. STRATA therefore intends to actively disseminate the results of its research and to seek innovative ways of presenting this information to specific target audiences. This will increase public and decision-makers’ awareness of evidence and its importance, involve citizens more actively in addressing pressing public policy issues, and create opportunities for spreading public governance innovations and exchange of good practice.

4. Each other | An established goal of the organization allows retaining and attracting experts

Current employees, their accumulated knowledge and experience are the main resource for achieving STRATA’s goals. In order to develop current and attract new employees with highest competencies, STRATA will strive to embed its main goal in the organizational culture. In order to successfully compete with the private sector for experts and talents, STRATA will strive to ensure the sustainability of funding for staff retention and, by implementing motivating solutions of staff management, increase the attractiveness of the organization as an inspiring workplace.

Stages of strategy implementation

2021

Taking into account the opportunities created by project funding, human resources of the institution are being developed, an inter-institutional network of evidence-informed governance competencies is being formed, relations with partners are expanded and joint expert capacities are being strengthened. The range of topics covered by STRATA's studies, evaluations and reviews is broadened. Strong emphasis is placed on improving the quality of results and the way they are presented to decision-makers.

2022

The focus is on empowering the evidence-informed management system both internally and externally in the institution (in the government sector), further developing relevant networks of competencies, and expanding STRATA’s expert capacities. The range of topics covered by STRATA's studies, evaluations and reviews is consistently increased.

2023

Expertise in all key areas of STRATA's activities is achieved, and the established competence networks operate effectively and efficiently. A refined model for the formation of topics of studies, evaluations and reviews conducted by the institution is in place, characterized by a balance between the initiation of topics by the founder and by STRATA itself.

2024

The institution is fully empowered and acts as a centre of strategic analytical expert competencies. During the decision-making process as well as in public discourse, it is recognized and valued as a reliable and competent provider of strategic insights and advice.

2025

STRATA’s expertise and the country's progress in evidence-informed governance are recognized internationally, new, innovative tools are mastered, guidelines for a new development stage are established.

Implementation, Monitoring and Reporting of the Strategy

To ensure a consistent implementation of the strategic directions outlined in the Strategy, a separate annual action plan is drawn up for each year of Strategy implementation. The annual action plan provides details on the chosen means of implementing the Strategy, sets out the goals and objectives as well as the measures needed for their implementation (actions, activities), the indicators to be used to measure the progress or extent to which the goals and/or objectives have been achieved, the timetable, the budget, and the responsible implementers. The draft annual action plan is submitted to the Board for consideration by 20 January every year. It is subsequently approved by the general shareholders’ meeting (hereinafter referred to as the Meeting).

The implementation progress of the strategic directions outlined in the Strategy is monitored every quarter by presenting the key activities implemented during the reporting period, the results achieved and the risks for achieving the planned results in a timely manner to the Board. Taking into account the monitoring data, the Board may submit a proposal to the Meeting regarding the revision of the document implementing the strategy – the annual action plan.

An annual report on the implementation of the Strategy (the “Annual Report”) is prepared each year, assessing the implementation of the strategic directions, presenting the achievement of the Strategy’s indicators, discussing the key priority actions for the coming period and, where appropriate, identifying risks to the successful implementation of the Strategy. The annual report is presented to the Board, usually in February, and to the Meeting, usually in March. The annual report is presented by the Board in order to be decided on by the Meeting and made publicly available.

In case of change of essential elements of the Strategy or a need to supplement them, the Strategy may be revised and (or) reviewed. The right to initiate the revision and (or) review of the Strategy belongs to STRATA, the Board and the Meeting.

List of the Most Important Tasks until 2025

  • The expertise in the fields of public management, economics, social policy and the Green Deal is built.
  • Methods of insight generation, horizon scanning and forecasting are mastered.
  • A methodology for developing the STRATA research portfolio has been developed and a long-term research portfolio has been established.
  • The methodological standards for analytical products of evidence-informed governance and the principles for preparing recommendations are developed, the methodology of co-creation (public sector, science, business) is employed for the preparation of best recommendations.
  • A contribution to the preparation of the State Progress Strategy is made.
  • A progress assessment of the implementation of the National Progress Plan is prepared.
  • A network of scientific and analytical competencies of the public, academic and private sectors for the creation of evidence is enabled.
  • Working with research and academic institutions in to improve the capacities of the public sector to attract economists.
  • Active partnerships are established and joint projects with internationally recognized organizations are implemented.
  • Analytical competencies of public administration institutions are enhanced.
  • The system of state orders for research is updated.
  • Establishing an effective framework for presenting and communicating results to decision-makers.
  • Branches of the public policy laboratory “Policy Lab” are established in 3 municipalities.
  • The STRATA “Evidence Library” is improved and its recognition increased.
  • The management policy of the organization and staff with the focus on employee empowerment and confidence building is updated and made more efficient.
  • An organizational culture with the focus on the mission implementation and organizational values is formed.
  • A platform for sharing success stories, lessons learned and institutional know-how is created.
  • A performance assessment system is developed.