Routine and nonroutine performance information: an assessment about substitution and complementarity

ABSTRACT

This article investigates the substitution and complementarity effect that organizational social capital generates between two different types of performance information: nonroutine and routine performance information. The study of this topic is important since it offers a better understanding of how public managers inform their decision-making. Using department level data from 57 counties in Florida, this article finds that departments with higher levels of organizational social capital are more likely to complement the use of both routine and nonroutine performance information. Thus, the article reinforces the role and importance that organizational social capital plays into well-established and consolidated managerial practices.

KEYWORDS:

• Performance management
• performance information use
• organizational social capital
• public managers
• local governments

Acknowledgements

I thank Dr. Allan Rosenbaum, Dr. Alexander Kroll, and Dr. Emel Ganapati at Florida International University who provided insight and expertise that greatly assisted the research. I thank you also Erin K. Serre for gracefully editing the article.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the University Graduate School, Florida International University [DYF].

Notes on contributors

Michele Tantardini

Michele Tantardini earned an undergraduate and master degree in economics and management of public administration at Bocconi University (Milan, Italy). His academic career has been focused on the management of public sector institutions and organizations, and the delivery of public services. Currently, he is an Assistant Professor of Public Administration at the School of Public Affairs at Penn State Harrisburg. He earned his PhD in Public Affairs at Florida International University (Miami, FL, USA) with a dissertation on the relationship between performance information use and organizational social capital.