Outcomes in some organizations are also a function of competition and technology levels, which makes it difficult to separate the effectiveness of the organization from other environmental variables. One approach to help remedy this is to focus on comparisons with similar organizations, though one must acknowledge that the organizations may have differing access to environmental resources. Some measure work quantity or quality. Substituting process evaluation for outcome evaluation can also force the customer to accept service instead of value. A student confuse teaching with learning, a diploma with competence, etc.
Structural indicators form the basis for accreditation reviews and licensing systems.
Structural indicators focus on organizational inputs as surrogate measures for outputs. Like with process, focus on structure can have it's own problems. For example, licensing and accreditation through structural evaluation have become a major obstacle to innovation in schools.