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Managing Performance in Public Organisations

Module description

This module will allow students to analyse how to better manage performance in public organisations. Managing performance is a leading theme in the current discussion of public management, both in theory and practice. The desire for better performance has been key to citizen satisfaction and government efficiency. It has been reflected in most major public management agendas such as the New Public Management and Modernizing Government.  

Module aims - intentions of the module

This module will introduce you to the concepts of performance management in public organisations. The emphasis is on the intellectual foundation and practices of public performance management. The module aims to:

•  Provide you with knowledge of subfields of performance management, such as government reform, accountability, and managerial leadership.
• to enable you to understand why good performance matters in public organisations, how to measure and manage performance, and how actors within and outside of public organisations influence performance management. 

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Analyse organisational performance and develop strategies for organisational improvement
• 2. Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the complexities of using performance management tools in public organisations
• 3. Articulate contemporary models and perspectives of subfields related to performance management including organisational behaviour, accountability, and leadership in public organisations

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 4. Contribute to meaningful and critical comments on academic literature in public management and policy
• 5. Understand empirical strategies and their limitations in academic papers
• 6. Apply theoretical concepts in public management and policy to real-world cases and practices

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 7. Deliver complex ideas clearly and concisely through writing
• 8. Communicate and interact ideas productively with diverse colleagues and audiences

Syllabus plan

Whilst the content may vary from year to year, it is envisioned that the module will cover some or all of the following topics:

• Introduction of performance management in public organisations: background, measurement, and implementation
• Intended and unintended effects of performance management: accountability pressure, individual and group behaviours, organisational climates, and unethical behaviours
• Process of performance management: performance information use and feedback process
• Empirical models measuring and appraising organisational performance outcomes

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

• James, O., Moynihan, D. P., Olsen, A. L., & Van Ryzin, G. G. (2020). Behavioral public performance. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press
• Van Dooren, W., Bouckaert, G., & Halligan, J. (2010). Performance management in the public sector. Routledge.
• Greve, H. R. (2003). Organisational learning from performance feedback: A behavioral perspective on innovation and change. Cambridge University Press.

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

• ELE – https://vle.exeter.ac.uk/

Indicative learning resources - Other resources

• Academic papers related to performance management published in prominent journals

Key words search

Performance, Public Administration, Government, Accountability, Public Policy