Editorial

Citation

Heap, J. (2005), "Editorial", International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, Vol. 54 No. 7. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijppm.2005.07954gaa.001

Editorial

This is a special issue of IJPPM with a guest editor, Professor Arie Halachmi. Professor Halachmi’s work has predominantly been connected with the productivity and performance of public sector organisations and this is why we asked him to put together an issue centred around public sector performance.

Of course the set of papers here provides insights into the “special” situation of public sector organisations but the papers also hold many lessons that apply more generally, and particularly across that often very artificial public-private sector divide.

Professor Halachmi provides an introductory paper himself, setting the scene by reminding us of the relationship of performance measurement to performance management, and further reminding us that it is only the latter – management – that brings about improved performance. Measurement can be important, but it is only a means to an end.

In his introductory paper, Professor Halachmi shows how the other papers relate to, and confirm this simple relationship, ultimately showing that measurement is only one of the routes towards performance management, and a route that can lead an organisation astray unless its measurement strategy is clear and strongly related to its corporate goals.

John HeapCo-editor