Performance Measurement in the Public Sector
The course is aimed at deepening students' knowledge and understanding of performance management theories and tools in the public sector, which includes all the devices and systems that public managers use to ensure that the decisions and behaviors of their employees are consistent with the organization¿s objectives and strategy. Another aim is to develop the students' ability to apply performance management concepts and tools in discussions, and to critically reflect upon different performance management solutions in public sector organisations.
The following topics related to performance measurement in the public sector will be covered:
- Theories of performance, such as institutional and legitimacy theory, resource dependency, resource-based theory, and complexity theory
- Beneficial and negative effects of performance management in the public sector
- Performance indicators, balance scorecard and benchmarking
- Cost accounting, cost allocation considerations and methods
- Traditional and innovative types of budgeting
- Case studies related to public sector organizations (central, regional and local governments) and in specific policy areas (primary and higher education, health care, utilities, etc.).
Learning outcomes:
Upon successful completion of this course, a student will obtain the following:
Knowledge:
- on key concepts and theoretical aspects of public performance and different performance measurement tools
- on effects of performance measurement and management in the public sector
- on use and users of performance measurement and management in the public sector
Skills:
- ability to work in groups to identify, discuss and solve public sector performance issues related to practices in the public sector organizations on the basis of scientific knowledge
- ability to critically examine the limitations and implications of various performance measurement tools in the public sector
- ability to analyze how public sector organizations are implementing and using performance measurement tools
General competencies:
- be able to communicate in written and oral form and advocate solutions to the problems related to performance measurement and management in public sector
- be able to assess and discuss the tension between theory and practice related to performance measurement and management in public sector
- be able to link the aforementioned knowledge and skills to work situations in public sector organizations
The course grade will be set on the basis of several different evaluations:
- Assessment task 1 - obligatory group report of the case work with grading pass /not pass
- Assessment task 2 - obligatory group presentation of the case work with grading pass /not pass.
- Individual home exam (4 hours) This will account for 100% of the grade with regular Norwegian grading system (A-F).
