Abstract
This paper analyses how public managers use performance information. A sample of over 3,100 high-level public sector executives from six European countries, provided evidence of significant country variations. Considerable variations were also found in patterns of use in different policy fields; and performance indicators were not used as often in central government as in local and regional government. Implementation of performance management instruments in an organization had a strong effect on the actual use of performance information.
Acknowledgement
The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Community's Seventh Framework Programme under grant agreement No. 266887 (Project COCOPS), Socio-Economic Sciences and Humanities.