Get 20M+ Full-Text Papers For Less Than $1.50/day. Start a 14-Day Trial for You or Your Team.

Learn More →

Public sector performance measurement in developing countries A literature review and research agenda

Public sector performance measurement in developing countries A literature review and research... Purpose – This paper aims to explore the influence of specific characteristics of the public sector in developing countries (i.e. a low‐institutional capacity, a limited involvement of stakeholders, and high levels of corruption and informality), and of reforms of this sector, on public sector performance measurement (PSPM). Design/methodology/approach – Based on a review of prior literature, the paper develops understanding of the demand for and supply of performance information in developing countries, and of changes in this area. Findings – The paper argues that public sector organisations in developing countries are likely to face an unbalanced position, i.e. disequilibrium between the demand for and supply of performance information. More precisely, the public sector reforms – which are partly stimulated by a growing involvement of some stakeholders – lead to an increasing demand for performance information but, because of the low‐institutional capacity and the high level of corruption, this increasing demand is not always followed by a sufficient supply of performance information. This leads to an “unsatisfied demand” position. Research limitations/implications – The paper concludes with an overview of issues related to PSPM in a developing country context that require further investigation. Practical implications – The arguments presented in this paper are summarised in an overview of factors that influence the demand for and supply of performance information in the public sector in developing countries. This overview might be helpful to those who are involved in the design of performance measurement systems in these countries. Originality/value – So far, relatively little is known about PSPM in a developing country context. This paper is an attempt to fill this gap. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Journal of Accounting & Organizational Change Emerald Publishing

Public sector performance measurement in developing countries A literature review and research agenda

Download PDF
17 pages

Loading next page...
 
/lp/emerald-publishing/public-sector-performance-measurement-in-developing-countries-a-SnJIpZtTl3
Publisher
Emerald Publishing
Copyright
Copyright © 2007 Emerald Group Publishing Limited. All rights reserved.
ISSN
1832-5912
DOI
10.1108/18325910710820265
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Purpose – This paper aims to explore the influence of specific characteristics of the public sector in developing countries (i.e. a low‐institutional capacity, a limited involvement of stakeholders, and high levels of corruption and informality), and of reforms of this sector, on public sector performance measurement (PSPM). Design/methodology/approach – Based on a review of prior literature, the paper develops understanding of the demand for and supply of performance information in developing countries, and of changes in this area. Findings – The paper argues that public sector organisations in developing countries are likely to face an unbalanced position, i.e. disequilibrium between the demand for and supply of performance information. More precisely, the public sector reforms – which are partly stimulated by a growing involvement of some stakeholders – lead to an increasing demand for performance information but, because of the low‐institutional capacity and the high level of corruption, this increasing demand is not always followed by a sufficient supply of performance information. This leads to an “unsatisfied demand” position. Research limitations/implications – The paper concludes with an overview of issues related to PSPM in a developing country context that require further investigation. Practical implications – The arguments presented in this paper are summarised in an overview of factors that influence the demand for and supply of performance information in the public sector in developing countries. This overview might be helpful to those who are involved in the design of performance measurement systems in these countries. Originality/value – So far, relatively little is known about PSPM in a developing country context. This paper is an attempt to fill this gap.

Journal

Journal of Accounting & Organizational Change – Emerald Publishing

Published: Sep 25, 2007

Keywords: Performance measurement (quality); Public sector reform; Government; Developing countries; Decentralized control

References

  • Power, organization design and managerial behaviour
    Abernethy, M.A.; Vagnoni, E.
  • Governance Bank Policies, Operations Manual
    ADB
  • Promoting Good Governance: Principles, Practices and Perspectives
    Agere, S.
  • The New Public Management: Improving Research and Policy Dialogue
    Barzelay, M.
  • The new public management in developing countries: implications for policy and organizational reform
    Batley, R.
  • Agendas and Instability in American Politics
    Baumgartner, F.R.; Jones, B.D.
  • Learning with Information System: Analysis and Design in Developing Countries
    Bell, S.
  • Decentralization in Indonesia
    Betts, I.L.
  • The evolving role of the central government in economic planning and policy making in Indonesia
    Booth, A.
  • An institutional perspective on performance measurement and management in the new public sector
    Brignall, S.; Modell, S.
  • The specificity of public service reform
    Caiden, G.E.; Sundaram, P.
  • Planning and Budgeting in Poor Countries
    Caiden, N.; Wildavsky, A.B.
  • Better health in developing countries: are sector‐wide approaches the way of the future?
    Cassel, A.; Janovsky, K.
  • Implementing performance measurement innovations: evidence from government
    Cavalluzzo, K.S.; Ittner, C.D.
  • Issues in fiscal decentralisation: ensuring resources reach the point of service delivery
    Devas, N.
  • Decentralization and Governance
    DFID
  • What makes organisations measure
    Dooren, W.van
  • The marketization of the nonprofit sector: civil society at risk?
    Eikenberry, A.M.; Kluver, J.D.
  • Governance Capacity and Economic Reform in Developing Countries
    Frischtak, L.L.
  • Strengthening institutional capacity in poor countries: shoring up institutions, reducing global poverty
    Graham, C.
  • Using models as tools in education and training
    Graves, A.; Hess, T.; Matthews, R.
  • Recent transition in governance in South Asia: context, dimensions, and implications
    Haque, M.S.
  • The changing balance of power between the government and NGOs in Bangladesh
    Haque, M.S.
  • Reinventing governance for performance in South Asia: impacts on citizenship rights
    Haque, M.S.
  • Public Administration: A Comparative Perspective
    Heady, F.
  • Exploring the public administration and accounting divide of public sector performance measurement research
    Helden, G.J.van; Johnsen, A.; Vakkuri, J.
  • Decentralization, enablement, and local governance in low‐income countries
    Helmsing, A.H.J.
  • Urban service delivery in developing countries – escape Western bureaucratic solutions
    Henderson, K.M.
  • New modes of control in the public service
    Hoggett, P.
  • A public management for all seasons
    Hood, C.
  • The ‘new public management’ in the 1980s: variations on a theme
    Hood, C.
  • The new public management: a perspective from Africa
    Hope, K.R.
  • Decentralization, the new public management, and the changing role of the public sector in Africa
    Hope, K.R.; Chikulo, B.C.
  • Political and industrial relations: turbulence, competition and budgeting in the nationalized jute mills of Bangladesh
    Hoque, Z.; Hopper, T.
  • Improving Public Management in Small Communities
    Howitt, A.
  • The role of capacity building in poverty reduction
    IMF
  • The IMF and Good Governance: A Fact Sheet – April
    IMF