Beyond reporting: What drives performance data use in sustainability management? Empirical evidence from U.S. cities

ABSTRACT

As local governments increasingly use data to improve sustainability outcomes, this research explores how institutional conditions may assist such efforts. To that end, it tests several hypotheses based on two prominent organizational theories: rational choice and sociological institutionalism. Using the original data that surveys how U.S. cities collect and use performance data when managing sustainability programs (n = 443), this research finds that cities are more likely to use information when certain institutional conditions are present, among which social institutions particularly matter. These findings are discussed by integrating insights from public management and sustainability literature.

KEYWORDS:

• Local government
• performance management
• sustainability
• institutional theory

Acknowledgments

I am deeply appreciative of the invaluable insights provided by Dr. Dorothy Daley and Dr. Rachel Krause at the University of Kansas throughout the development of this paper. Their expertise and constructive feedback have been instrumental in shaping the rigor of this work and significantly enhanced the quality of discussions presented within this research.

Disclosure statement

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

Notes

1. As famously put forth by 1987’s Brundtland Report, sustainability is here defined as ‘ … development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’. Sustainability in this study thus encompasses a wide range of issues that fall within the interlinked realms of economy, environmental, and social well-being.

2. 5-year estimates from American Community survey were used for analysis. 5-year estimates are ‘period’ estimates that have advantage of increased data reliability over 1-year estimates (U.S. Census Bureau, 2020).

3. Primary contacts were identified by visiting every city government website, using such terms as ‘sustainability’, ‘sustainable development’, ‘sustainable communities’, ‘social sustainability’, ‘long-range planning’, and ‘smart growth’. In cases where it was not possible to locate a chief person tasked with administering sustainability efforts, the list includes a city manager or mayoral address. Respondents consist of top managers/supervisors (66.7%), middle-managers (22.5) and team members (10.8%).

4. Little’s test also indicated a strong significance, indicating the data employed in this research is not MCAR.