Linking strategy and performance: Developments in the New Zealand public sector

Abstract

In recent decades, many governments have sought to improve their systems of strategic management and priority setting. Few of these attempts have met with unequivocal success. In particular, the systems for “whole‐of‐government strategizing” have not been well integrated into the ongoing budgetary processes and departmental performance management systems. In 1993—1994, as part of its comprehensive reforms of the public sector, the New Zealand government instituted a new system of strategic management. The new approach—which in part grew out of the National government's attempt to outline its long‐term vision in a document titled Path to 2010—involves the ministers specifying a series of medium‐term policy goals, referred to as “strategic result areas” (SRAs), and then translating these into more detailed departmental objectives, known as “key result areas” (KRAs). More specific “milestones” are subsequently identified to serve as benchmarks against which the achievement of departmental KRAs can be assessed. This article describes and evaluates this new approach and considers its possible application in other countries.

Link and effect model for performance improvement of railway infrastructure

“…Areas where results are visualised (Boston and Pallot, 1997), e.g. maintenance cost, and maintenance callbacks & backlog.…”

Public Sector Reform in New Zealand: Transformition of the Society

“…The manager corps was not 'retrained' -but pushed to 'reIearn by doing' -by performing the new roles (BOSTON/ PALLOT, 1997;SCOTT et al, 1997).…”

Program Strategy and Coalition Building as Facets of New Public Management

“…Thinking about strategy in public sector contexts has developed in recent years (Boston and Pallot 1997). This has involved a shift from formal models and centralised direction to contingent and 'emergent' conceptions, with responsibility for strategy focused on program managers.…”