Performance Management Routines That Work? An Early Assessment of the GPRA Modernization Act

Abstract

The GPRA Modernization Act of 2010 provides the latest chapter in a history of US federal performance reforms that have largely failed to meet expectations. Will the Modernization Act be any different? This paper offers an early systematic assessment, and the results provide grounds for optimism. Managerial use of performance data was an explicit goal of the Modernization Act, a goal that previous federal reforms failed to achieve. The Act established a new series of performance routines to encourage performance information use. Our analysis of GAO survey data shows that as federal managers experience those routines, they are more likely to report using performance data to make decisions. Specifically, routines centered around the pursuit of cross-agency priority goals, the prioritization of a small number of agency goals, and data-driven reviews are all associated with higher rates of performance information use. We also find that managers in better-run data-driven reviews also report using performance data at higher levels.

Looking Back over My 45 Years of Involvement with Government Reform Efforts

“…It is often far more compelling way to get support and action of stakeholders and employees than the use of administrative directives and guidance. For example, during the Clinton administration, the director of the Office of Personnel Management, James King, eliminated the Federal Personnel Manual in his agency's effort to “cut red tape.” To demonstrate his commitment, he held a press conference where he hauled wheelbarrows of regulations to a dump truck; he didn't just sit at a desk and sign a directive to eliminate the manual. Creating new organizational processes is an effective way to ultimately change organizational culture, according to research (Moynihan and Kroll ). For example, establishing a process for quarterly performance progress reviews by top agency leaders for priority goals has led to greater use of performance information in agency decision‐making. Use of traditional administrative tools such as directives, guidance, the development of “how to” handbooks, creating awards programs, creating communities of practice, and conducting orientation training are all ways of implementing change.…”

What is performance measurement for? Multiple uses of performance information within organizations

“…However, despite increasing investments in the design and implementation of measurement systems, the use of performance information remains limited. The academic literature has examined this issue in a number of contexts, including the UK (see, e.g., Bovaird and Gregory 1996;Bevan and Hood 2006), continental Europe (Speklé and Verbeeten 2014;Arnaboldi et al 2015), Australia (Taylor 2011a(Taylor , 2001b and the US (Moynihan and Kroll 2016). The importance of performance information use has led researchers to employ it as the dependent variable in their studies (see, e.g., Kroll and Moynihan 2015).…”

La economía política de la capacidad estadística: Una revisión de la literatura

“…En el gobierno federal estadounidense, los gerentes que participan de tales rutinas son más proclives a usar los datos para guiar su gestión (Moynihan y Kroll, 2014). Asegurar que estas rutinas se cumplan de forma sistemática y disciplinada favorece que los datos sean realmente utilizados para tomar decisiones, y no solo de manera episódica o ad hoc.…”