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Current state of public sector performance management in seven selected countries

Mary Lee Rhodes (School of Business, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland)
Lucia Biondi (Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy)
Ricardo Gomes (Departamento de Administração, Universidade de Brasília, Brasilia, Brazil)
Ana I. Melo (GOVCOPP and School of Technology and Management – ESTGA, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal)
Frank Ohemeng (School of Political Studies, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada)
Gemma Perez‐Lopez (Departamento de Economía Financiera y Contabilidad, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain)
Andrea Rossi (Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy)
Wayhu Sutiyono (Faculty of Business and Government, University of Canberra, Canberra, Australia)

International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management

ISSN: 1741-0401

Article publication date: 9 March 2012

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper seeks to extend the analysis of performance management regimes by Bouckaert and Halligan to other countries in order to contribute to the developing theory of forms and challenges in public sector performance management.

Design/methodology/approach

The state of performance management and the context in which it has evolved is assessed in seven different countries using dimensions drawn from Bouckaert and Halligan's work along with elements from earlier work by Pollitt and Bouckaert. These are summarized in a table and comparisons made to generate additional insights into the factors that influence the shape and speed of public management evolution.

Findings

The paper finds that the Bouckaert and Halligan framework for analyzing public sector performance management is useful, albeit with some modifications. Specifically, it finds that administrative culture is a key factor influencing the speed of reform and that the attitude of elites (politicians and civil servants, in most cases) is also a vital piece of the puzzle that was not included in Bouckaert and Halligan, but did appear in the earlier framework of Pollitt and Bouckaert. It also finds evidence that economic and political crises occurring together accelerate the introduction of integrated performance management systems, but that trust in government does not appear to be a significant factor. Finally, the paper observes that, absent political crisis/commitment, governments will prioritise “external” performance measures such as customer service, participation and transparency objectives over “internal” performance measures such as financial, staff management and whole of government reporting.

Originality/value

The countries studied provide a rare insight into lesser‐known performance management regimes and the use of the Bouckaert and Halligan framework allows for comparisons to earlier (and future) research. The findings will be of interest to scholars in public administration reform and performance management.

Keywords

Citation

Lee Rhodes, M., Biondi, L., Gomes, R., Melo, A.I., Ohemeng, F., Perez‐Lopez, G., Rossi, A. and Sutiyono, W. (2012), "Current state of public sector performance management in seven selected countries", International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, Vol. 61 No. 3, pp. 235-271. https://doi.org/10.1108/17410401211205632

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2012, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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