Gjeldende emnebeskrivelse (sist oppdatert 2024/25)
Prestasjonsmåling i offentlig sektor
ECO5002
Gjeldende emnebeskrivelse (sist oppdatert 2024/25)

Prestasjonsmåling i offentlig sektor

ECO5002

The course will deepen the students' knowledge and understanding of performance management theories and tools in the public sector, which includes all units and systems that public managers use to ensure that decisions and behavior are in line with the organisation's goals and strategy. Another aim of the course is to develop the students' abilities to apply learned concepts and tools in discussions, and to critically reflect on various performance management solutions in the public sector.

The following topics related to performance measurement in the public sector will be covered:

  • Theories of performance, such as institutional and legitimacy theory, resource dependence, resource-based theory, and complexity theory
  • Positive and negative effects of performance management in the public sector
  • Performance indicators, balanced goal management and benchmarking
  • Cost accounting, cost allocation, considerations and methods
  • Traditional and innovative types of budgeting
  • Case studies related to public organizations (state, regional and local authorities) and in specific policy areas (primary and higher education, health services, utilities, etc.).
The subject is only open to students on the Master of Science in Business study programme.

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
Utover semesteravgift og pensumlitteratur forutsettes det at studenten disponerer en bærbar datamaskin.
Lectures and seminars, group work on case studies and presentations
The study program is evaluated annually by the students through course evaluations and study program evaluation. These evaluations are included as part of the university's quality assurance system.

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 - compulsory 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 the regular Norwegian grading system (AF).

All relevant aids allowed. Generating an answer using ChatGPT or similar artificial intelligence and submitting it wholly or partially as one's own answer is considered cheating.