Performance Management in the Public Sector: (Routledge Masters in Public Management)

Tackling the key topics of reform and modernization, this important new book systematically examines performance in public management systems. The authors present this seminal subject in an informative and accessible manner, tackling some of the most important themes. Performance Management in the Public Sector takes as its point of departure a broad definition of performance to redefine major and basic mechanisms in public administration, both theoretically and in practice. The book: situates performance in some of the current public management debates; discusses the many definitions of ‘performance’ and how it has become one of the contested agendas of public management; examines measurement, incorporation and use of performance information; and explores the challenges and future directions of performance management. A must-read for any student or practitioner of public management, this core text will prove invaluable to anyone wanting to improve their understanding of performance management in the public sector.

Table of Contents:
1. Introduction 2. Defining the Concepts 3. The History of Performance Management 4. Performance Measurement 5. Incorporation of Performance Information 6. The use of Performance Information 7. Users 8. Non-use 9. The Effects of Using Performance Information 10. The Future of Performance Management

About the Author :
Wouter Van Dooren is Assistant Professor of Public Administration at the Department of Political Science, University of Antwerp, Belgium, and Research Fellow at the Public Management Institute at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium. He researches performance measurement and management. Geert Bouckaert is Director and Professor of Public Management at the Public Management Institute at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium. He is President of the European Group for Public Administration and he researches performance management, financial management and public sector reform. John Halligan is Research Professor of Government and Public Administration at the University of Canberra, Australia. His research interests are comparative public governance and management, performance management and public sector reform.

Review :
"This book offers an approachable and intelligent guide to a complex subject. It skillfully uses examples and insights from across the globe to illustrate and enliven our understanding of performance management. Practitioners will welcome the clearly-established learning directives and key points that frame each chapter. For scholars, the book forcefully directs attention to key research issues, most pressingly the use of performance data." - Donald Moynihan, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA "This book provides distilled wisdom for public managers on how to frame, understand, and act on a performance management strategy for their organizations. I've seen in real life some of the dilemmas they raise in their book. The context and solutions they offer are practical and useful." - John M. Kamensky, senior fellow, IBM Center for The Business of Government and former deputy director of the U.S. National Partnership for Reinventing Government