Het gebruik van prestatie-informatie binnen publieke organisaties. Een onderzoek naar de doelstellingen en (vormen van) gebruik van prestatie-informatie binnen de lagere overheden

摘要

The Use of Performance Information in Public OrganizationsA study on the purposes and (forms of) use of performance information in local governmentName student:Remko VonkStudent ID: 850495678 Faculty: Management SciencesDate:March, 2014ABSTRACTPurpose: The most crucial indicator for whether measuring performance information is worth the effort, is whether public managers are using performance information (Moynihan, 2010).A better understanding about the purposes and uses of performance information in smaller Dutch municipalities can contribute to better use of performance information in Public organizations. The purpose of this research is to contribute to the theory of De Lancer Julnes (2008) about the purposes and uses of performance information in Public organizations.Design/methodology/approach: The central question of this research is: “What purposes and uses of performance information can be distinguished in the actual use of performance information by officials and managers in the local government?”Four types of purposes (accountability, improvement, understanding, mobilization) and five types of knowledge uses (reassurance, compliance, program learning, enlightment, legitimization) where formulated for the use of performance information.Data was collected through a case study. The study was conducted at a Dutch small municipality. Information was collected through semi-constructed interviews and also through content analyzes of important documents. Results are classified in the 4 purposes and 5 knowledge uses for using performance information, as formulated by De Lancer Julnes (2008).Findings: some research findings are:•This empirical study shows that councilors distinguish the purposes accountability, improvement and mobilization from the following reports i.e. the progress report, the list of central planning and the internal control report; •The study shows further that managers recognize the same purposes from these reports. It is striking that both the councilors and the managers do not experience the purpose understanding. My research has not revealed why in the municipality of Epe this purpose is not experienced; •In addition, it appears from this research that the councilors distinguish from the same reports the use of the form reassurance, compliance, legitimacy and program learning. It also follows from this research that managers identify from these reports the uses reassurance, compliance, legitimacy and learning. It is striking that both councilors and managers don’t experience the form enlightment. My research has not revealed why in the municipality of Epe this form is not experienced; •The research shows that the following combinations accountability - reassurance, improve - compliance, mobilization - legitimacy, accountability – compliance and improve - learn are recognized in the actual use of performance information in the municipality of Epe. Research limitations/implications: The generalizability of this study is limited, because of the chosen methodology (single case study). Originality/value: The need of more research on the use of performance information is justified by the appeal in the literature. Moynihan et al (2010) argues that governments have used a large part of their energy and resources to create Performance Information Systems, there is still too little research into the use of this information and this must change according to Moynihan (2010) . Also in the literature there are many quantitative researches of the uses of performance information. Less qualitative research has been done. Qualitative research in specific sectors in the public sector can contribute to better use of performance information in Public organizations. This research is a modest contribution to the theory formulated by De Lancer Julnes (2008) and it learns us how performance information is used by a small Dutch municipality, which needs to be further investigated in more Dutch municipalities.Keywords: performance management, performance measurement, performance information, De Lancer Julnes, principal agent theory, Public Organization, Dutch municipality.