Performance measurement in British central government

• Main Author: Abdullah, Nur Anisah
• Published: University of Strathclyde 2009
• Subjects: 338.0068
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.510905

For many years, research on public sector performance measurement has focused on the more "mainstream public interest" sections such as Health, Education, or Police Services and overlooked agencies and public bodies. The research aimed to explore the issues of performance measurement in the context of British executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies with a view towards development an improvement. Through a three-phase exploratory study, the research set out to gain an in-depth understanding of performance measurement practice and in doing so, identified and examined the key elements for development and improvement. Phase 1 was a large scale questionnaire-based survey which, in broad sense, explored the nature of and reasons for performance management, the tools used, factors influencing design and the perceived level of system effectiveness. Phase II was a more in-depth study, extending the efforts of Phase I, sought to examine some of the issues in greater detail ; and Phase III was initiated based on managers' desire, explored the feasability of devising a tool to inform and evaluate performance measurement practice.the research has found that performance measurement practice and knowledge was evident across agencies and public bodies. The research also revealed nine interconnected elements as key to effective performance measurement. Based on these findings a framework for performance measurement practice was developed. Out of which, a performance measurement practice evaluation tool(PMPET) has been created. Although the framework and the resulting PMPET were customised for agencies and public bodies, they aimed to be generically applicable to the wider sections of public sector.