Wayland Baptist University
Public Administration Capstone PUAD 5340vc01
Abstract
This review presents the book Managing performance in the Public Sector by Hans de Bruijn, summarizes and analyzes it. The book discusses the issues that arose from ineffective performance measurement and offers ways to handle these issues and mitigate their negative impact. Having analyzed the real-life cases and the extensive literature on the topic, Hans de Bruijn describes the perverse effects of performance measurement on public organizations and the quality of their services. The author proposes the use of design principles that will improve the system of performance measurement. These principles are variety, interaction and dynamics. The review assesses the arguments and evidence, presented by the author and evaluates the conclusion of the book.
General
Managing Performance in the Public Sector, 2nd ed. Hans de Bruijn. 2007, 122 pp. London: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-40320-0.
Hans de Bruijn (1962-) is Professor of Public Administration and Organization and Management at Delft University of Technology, located in the Netherlands. He received education at the top Dutch universities. Hans de Bruijn holds master degrees in political science and Dutch law from Leiden University. Besides, he obtained his PhD in Public Administration at Erasmus University Rotterdam. Hans de Bruijn is an acknowledged expert in the wide range of academic areas: management in networks, in the multi-actor setting, process management and measurement of performance in the public sector. Hans de Bruijn researches decision-making process in multi-actor governance, strategic games, played by multiple actors, the roles of command, control, uncertainty, and trust in the complex structure of modern organizations. Among his key publications are books on process management, performance management in the public sector, management of networks. Besides, Hans de Bruijn authored a number of books on the topic of framing and political speech, written in Dutch language. In addition, his articles were published in numerous scientific journals in English and Dutch, such as Public Administration, International Journal of Public Administration, International Journal of Public Sector Management, etc. Expertise of Hans de Bruijn is widely acknowledged in the Netherlands and worldwide. He teaches various courses both at the bachelor and master level at Delft University and at Politecnico Milano. Additionally, he teaches a MOOC (massive open online course) called “Framing: How Politicians Debate” at the EdX platform (EdX.org). Hans de Bruijn is often invited to lecture for practitioners on topics as broad as decision making, performance management, and framing.
Summary
In Managing performance in the Public Sector Hans de Bruijn discusses positive and negative effects of performance management in the public sector organizations. The author argues that in spite of the possible benefits of the systematic measurement of the performance of public organizations, such as the improvement of the quality of decision making, the encouragement of innovative approach, the growth in professionalism of organization and the increase in the quality of its services, performance management may also produce perverse effects. Such undesirable effects include the bureaucratization of an organization and its processes, strategic behavior of employees, targeted on the fulfillment of performance objectives on paper but not in the reality and others. Hans de Bruijn analyzes the processes that develop in an organization, operating in the public sector under the monitoring and undergoing performance measurement, and concludes that the perverse effects are visible when five laws manifest themselves: the Law of Decreasing Effectiveness (p. 36), the Law of Mushrooming (p. 39), the Law of Collective Blindness (p. 43), the Law of Preservation of Perverted Systems (p. 45), and the Law of Decreasing Political Attention (p. 48). To summarize these laws, the negative effects of performance management system are especially pronounced, when performance output figures measured by performance management have a high impact on the professionals, when the system that measures performance becomes complex and overextended, when performance seems to be great on paper but not in the reality, because the figures are manipulated, when performance management system is institutionalized, takes root in the organization and resists changes, when the abolishment of performance measurement, even deeply perverse, is opposed by the “external owners” of the organization, and, thus, is preserved. In order to cope with the negative effects of performance measurement and reduce them, Hans de Bruijn introduces three design principles for effective performance management. The author highlights the significance of certain values, such as trust and fairness, content and liveliness and matches them to design principles: interaction, variety and dynamics (p. 54). The author argues that the involvement of the professionals in the measurement of their performance and the definition of indicators contributes to fairness and improves trust and mutual understanding between the management and the professionals. Hans de Bruijn criticizes the solely quantitative measurement of the multi-valued performance of the professionals and opts for more diverse and multi-factor performance measurement. And finally, the author emphasizes the dynamism of an organization as opposed to the stability of the performance measurement system and claims that performance measurement should become more dynamic in order to adequately assess the changing reality of organizations, their processes and products. In the concluding chapter, Hans de Bruijn discusses three paradoxes that are created by system logic of performance measurement (p. 111). These paradoxes highlight conditions under which the system becomes ineffective: the integrality of performance management, shaping judgmental approach toward professionals, whose performance is measured, and the consistency and comprehensiveness of the system of performance measurement. The author points out that these traps of performance management can be avoided if the system is designed in accordance with the principles of variety, interaction and dynamics.
Analytical Discussion
The book Managing performance in the Public Sector is organized and structured very logically. The main arguments are delivered in the accessible language, with numerous real-world examples, illustrating the key points of the theory. The headings and sub-headings enhance the readability of the book, while tables and bullet-points help to organize the book in the effective and elegant way. The only disadvantage that can be spotted in the book is the fact that the names of the scholars, whose studies Hans de Bruijn refers, are not visible on the pages of the body of the book. These sources are only presented as end-notes for each chapter, and are not organized in the alphabetic list of references. Because of this, it is inconvenient to find the studies used in the book after one has finished the reading.
The premise of the book acknowledges that the impact of performance measurement cannot be limited to the benefits only; the negative effects of performance measurement system in the complex multi-value public organizations cannot be ignored. The author only briefly defines the nature of performance management and its functions, referring readers to the extensive body of literature that deals with these issues. The evaluation of the positive sides of performance measurement also is limited to one chapter and only barely introduces good examples of effective performance management. On the other hand, the discussion of the negative impact and consequences of the performance measurement system is extensive and is covered in the rest seven chapters of the book. It can be argued that the main topic of the book is problematic issues that arose when performance measurement system does not work effectively and those principles that may help to improve it.
The arguments presented in the book are supported by a wide range of evidence: the real-life examples from various areas and the studies of other scholars. The studies and examples are mostly taken from three countries: the United Kingdom, the United States and the motherland of the author – the Netherlands. The scope of these studies and examples is quite wide and analyzes examples from public education, public health, criminal justice, law and order. However, these examples seem to be one-sided, as they present only the instances of ineffective performance management and fail to mention successful examples. Thus, the evidence, presented by the author, confirms the book’s point, at the same time, mostly ignoring the evidence that may contradict the author’s viewpoint (if such evidence exists at all). As a big part of the examples and studies, provided by the author, are from developed European countries and mostly, from the Netherlands, it can be argued that the author’s background, namely, his origin, has influenced the sources that he preferred to employ to prove his point. In my opinion, the conclusion that the author makes is valid, as it is supported by numerous evidence. However, I think that the insights that the book presents may not apply to the developing countries in Africa, Latin America, post-Soviet region or to the developed countries in Asia, due to the difference in culture, priorities, available funds, etc.
The book was interesting and easy to follow, as the author managed to cover the topic of performance measurement in the logical, structured way. Managing performance in the Public Sector has enhanced my knowledge in performance measurement in public organizations. Thanks to this book, now I am more aware of the problems that accompany performance management and will be able to cope with them more successfully in the future, in my career. I recommend this book to other students and professionals working in the field of management, as in the public sector, so in the private one. In my opinion, this book provides valuable insights in the performance management that can be used to better understand the nature of performance measurement and improve it.
References:
De Bruijn, H. (2007). Managing performance in the Public Sector, (2nd ed.). London: Routledge.
Profile of Prof.mr.dr. J.A. (Hans) de Bruijn. Delft University of Technology. Retrieved from http://www.tbm.tudelft.nl/over-faculteit/afdelingen/multi-actor-systems/people/professors/profmrdr-ja-hans-de-bruijn/
Bio of Hans de Bruijn. EdX . Retrieved from https://www.edx.org/bio/hans-de-bruijn
