Public management
Lecture 1: Introduction
Publicness consist out of two
types of explanation. First of
all the core explanations,
they are all about the legal
status. Also there is
dimensional explanation.
What that means is
explained in the picture +
examples.
Public goal: The aim is to create public value, to create something good for society.
Private goal: This is for profit maximalization, will we earn money if we do this?
Public managers: Managers that work for public organizations. There are 3 types of public managers:
The top managers are heading the organization, they are the face of the
organization (Rik Van De Walle, rector UGent). The middle managers are
the head of a division (Decaan, hoofd van een faculteit). The line managers
are the head of a department (hoofd van de vakgroep Bestuurskunde en
Publiek Management).
There is a difference between public managers and street-level bureaucrats. The street-level
bureaucrats have no management function. They don’t govern teams, they don’t govern
departments, they don’t govern the organization. They are the ones delivering the services. They are
in direct contact with the end-user. Public managers see the end-user less then the street-level
bureaucrats.
These are two
examples of a public
manager with their
street-level
bureaucrats.
So, there is a big difference between public managers and street-level bureaucrats with three
important differences:
- No leadership position for the street-level bureaucrats
- Street-level bureaucrats have direct contact with service users
- Streat-level bureaucrats needs discretion.
Public management in core is about managing public organizations, with a difference of the core and
the dimensional understanding. It is done by public managers.
1
,Lecture 2: Public Service Performance
2.1 What’s in a name?
2.1.1 IOO Model
Inputs are the main
dimension of public
sector performance. You
spent as less money as
possible. It is the idea of
economy (zuinigheid). In terms of output, you look to quality and quantity. You can look at the
amount of people who visited your center, but you can also ask them how they experienced it.
Efficiency is basically output on input. Try to achieve with less input, much output. The more output
you produce with the lesser input, the more efficient you are. The outcomes consists of goal
fulfillness (effectiveness), you meet your long term goals. Equity means that everyone gets the same
access to public service delivery, but is that a synonym for equality? We describe it with the following
picture. Impact is the effect of the outcome. It is the final stage.
Public sector performance holds multiple dimensions, which you can measure at different
organizational levels. In the first two boxes of the IOO model, you stay within your organization. You
are going to ask questions to organizational actors. If you want to know something about impact or
outcomes, you are more likely to shift focus to the outside of the organization, to the perception of
citizens.
2.1.2 What?
After deciding ‘what’ to measure (dimensions/organizational level), public manager need to decide
‘how’ to measure. But first an interesting question: Why should public managers measure their
performance? Because they want to learn and want to know whether they are doing a good job. This
is more the inside of the organization, they want to do better. A second reason is that they need to
communicate their performance to external stakeholders, citizens, tax payers,… This is because of the
reason that these people should trust the government.
2
,You can measure this by using the subjective or the objective measurement. Objective measurement
are typically things you can count. Subjective measurement makes a use of opinions and perceptions
asked from citizens.
Both type of measurements have something to offer. We discuss that now:
Objective performance measurement:
It is likely that there is an absence of SDB
(Social Desirability Bias). That is the
tendency of individuals to provide answers
that are perceived as socially acceptable
rather than completely honest or accurate.
If you have objective data across a set of
organizations, you can compare objectively.
Subjective performance measurement:
Perceptions of organization leaders, right
or wrong, is reality in their eyes, so that’s
how they are going to behave. If a CEO
thinks that his company is doing great, but
it is actually going underwater, then he
acts on his own perceptions.
This an important image if you are going
to conduct your own research.
If you want to write about public sector
performance, first ask yourself if you are
going to discuss one or multiple
dimensions of public sector performance.
The second thing is that you have to find
reliable data. This can be objectively or
subjectively.
You have to check that all the same
sources, tells the same stories. This is
called data trangulation. If not, then you
have a validity problem.
2.1.3 Strategy for efficiency gains
These are all examples of efficiency. All
different scenarios from efficiency.
o: output
i: input
3
, 2.1.4 So what? Why measure?
2.1.5 Standardization or discretionary space?
Self-sufficiency matrix: People need to be self-sufficient in their own life, you need to be in control of
your health, housing, food,…
Adoption (translation of things) is the opposite of implementation (actual use).
Managing public sector performance is a situated practice, meaning that context matters. It really
depends on the context. How public are you, how closely is the government watching you,…? It also
can have a dark side (article).
Public sector performance is an umbrella concept, meaning it consists out of a multidimensional
(equity, efficiency and effectiveness) and a multi-level (organizational vs program). It is also difficult to
measure, because it has to balance between subjective and objective measures and it can be about a
multi-item or a single item.
Lecture 3: The public value(s) universe
A short recap:
- Public sector performance is an umbrella concept. You can see them within the organization,
but also outside the organization
- Public sector performance is difficult to measure
There is a difference between efficiency and
economy. It was about this graph. Efficiency is
the relationship between output on input. It
means that if you produce more of something
within the same time and with the same
resources as me, you are more efficient. There
are 5 scenarios for efficiency and you see them
on the picture.
4
Lecture 1: Introduction
Publicness consist out of two
types of explanation. First of
all the core explanations,
they are all about the legal
status. Also there is
dimensional explanation.
What that means is
explained in the picture +
examples.
Public goal: The aim is to create public value, to create something good for society.
Private goal: This is for profit maximalization, will we earn money if we do this?
Public managers: Managers that work for public organizations. There are 3 types of public managers:
The top managers are heading the organization, they are the face of the
organization (Rik Van De Walle, rector UGent). The middle managers are
the head of a division (Decaan, hoofd van een faculteit). The line managers
are the head of a department (hoofd van de vakgroep Bestuurskunde en
Publiek Management).
There is a difference between public managers and street-level bureaucrats. The street-level
bureaucrats have no management function. They don’t govern teams, they don’t govern
departments, they don’t govern the organization. They are the ones delivering the services. They are
in direct contact with the end-user. Public managers see the end-user less then the street-level
bureaucrats.
These are two
examples of a public
manager with their
street-level
bureaucrats.
So, there is a big difference between public managers and street-level bureaucrats with three
important differences:
- No leadership position for the street-level bureaucrats
- Street-level bureaucrats have direct contact with service users
- Streat-level bureaucrats needs discretion.
Public management in core is about managing public organizations, with a difference of the core and
the dimensional understanding. It is done by public managers.
1
,Lecture 2: Public Service Performance
2.1 What’s in a name?
2.1.1 IOO Model
Inputs are the main
dimension of public
sector performance. You
spent as less money as
possible. It is the idea of
economy (zuinigheid). In terms of output, you look to quality and quantity. You can look at the
amount of people who visited your center, but you can also ask them how they experienced it.
Efficiency is basically output on input. Try to achieve with less input, much output. The more output
you produce with the lesser input, the more efficient you are. The outcomes consists of goal
fulfillness (effectiveness), you meet your long term goals. Equity means that everyone gets the same
access to public service delivery, but is that a synonym for equality? We describe it with the following
picture. Impact is the effect of the outcome. It is the final stage.
Public sector performance holds multiple dimensions, which you can measure at different
organizational levels. In the first two boxes of the IOO model, you stay within your organization. You
are going to ask questions to organizational actors. If you want to know something about impact or
outcomes, you are more likely to shift focus to the outside of the organization, to the perception of
citizens.
2.1.2 What?
After deciding ‘what’ to measure (dimensions/organizational level), public manager need to decide
‘how’ to measure. But first an interesting question: Why should public managers measure their
performance? Because they want to learn and want to know whether they are doing a good job. This
is more the inside of the organization, they want to do better. A second reason is that they need to
communicate their performance to external stakeholders, citizens, tax payers,… This is because of the
reason that these people should trust the government.
2
,You can measure this by using the subjective or the objective measurement. Objective measurement
are typically things you can count. Subjective measurement makes a use of opinions and perceptions
asked from citizens.
Both type of measurements have something to offer. We discuss that now:
Objective performance measurement:
It is likely that there is an absence of SDB
(Social Desirability Bias). That is the
tendency of individuals to provide answers
that are perceived as socially acceptable
rather than completely honest or accurate.
If you have objective data across a set of
organizations, you can compare objectively.
Subjective performance measurement:
Perceptions of organization leaders, right
or wrong, is reality in their eyes, so that’s
how they are going to behave. If a CEO
thinks that his company is doing great, but
it is actually going underwater, then he
acts on his own perceptions.
This an important image if you are going
to conduct your own research.
If you want to write about public sector
performance, first ask yourself if you are
going to discuss one or multiple
dimensions of public sector performance.
The second thing is that you have to find
reliable data. This can be objectively or
subjectively.
You have to check that all the same
sources, tells the same stories. This is
called data trangulation. If not, then you
have a validity problem.
2.1.3 Strategy for efficiency gains
These are all examples of efficiency. All
different scenarios from efficiency.
o: output
i: input
3
, 2.1.4 So what? Why measure?
2.1.5 Standardization or discretionary space?
Self-sufficiency matrix: People need to be self-sufficient in their own life, you need to be in control of
your health, housing, food,…
Adoption (translation of things) is the opposite of implementation (actual use).
Managing public sector performance is a situated practice, meaning that context matters. It really
depends on the context. How public are you, how closely is the government watching you,…? It also
can have a dark side (article).
Public sector performance is an umbrella concept, meaning it consists out of a multidimensional
(equity, efficiency and effectiveness) and a multi-level (organizational vs program). It is also difficult to
measure, because it has to balance between subjective and objective measures and it can be about a
multi-item or a single item.
Lecture 3: The public value(s) universe
A short recap:
- Public sector performance is an umbrella concept. You can see them within the organization,
but also outside the organization
- Public sector performance is difficult to measure
There is a difference between efficiency and
economy. It was about this graph. Efficiency is
the relationship between output on input. It
means that if you produce more of something
within the same time and with the same
resources as me, you are more efficient. There
are 5 scenarios for efficiency and you see them
on the picture.
4
