The role of performance measurement and management systems in changing public organizations: An exploratory study

IMPACT

The most recent administrative reforms aim not only to open up public organizations to citizens but also to encourage other organizations to take similar initiatives, namely in collaboration, transparency and the availability of information. So they need performance measurement and management systems (PMMS) that allow them to be closer to their stakeholders and dynamically promote effective organizational change. This article shows that a PMMS can be a mediation instrument in the effective implementation of administrative reforms. It will help managers and employees of public organizations understand how to improve performance measurement processes and mitigate dysfunctional behaviours that cause unintended effects on organizational performance.

ABSTRACT

In recent decades, governments worldwide have used administrative reforms to change public organizations. The initial concerns were to increase their efficiency but, more recently, it has been their openness to society. Performance measurement and management systems (PMMS) have been used on this changing path to support public managers’ decision-making, although not always successfully. This study contributes to the current debate on using PMMS to align public organizations with the needs of citizens and remaining stakeholders.

KEYWORDS:

• Administrative reforms
• effectiveness
• mediation
• organizational change
• organizational performance
• performance management
• performance measurement
• processes interaction

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Samuel Leite Castelo

Samuel Castelo is Assistant Professor of Administration and Public Accounting at Ceará State University, researcher at Center for Applied Social Studies and External Control Auditor of the Ceará State Court of Auditors, Brazil. His main research interests are public budgeting, administrative reforms, government performance and public governance.

Carlos F. Gomes

Carlos F. Gomes is Associate Professor at the Faculty of Economics at the University of Coimbra and researcher at the CeBER—Centre for Business and Economics Research. His main research interests are performance management, performance measurement and operations strategy.