Work

Contrasting and explaining purposeful and legitimizing uses of performance information: a mayor’s perspective

Year: 2019

Type: article

Abstract: This study looks at purposeful and legitimizing types of performance information use in local governments. Drawing on a survey of Austrian mayors who are at the politico-administrative apex of local government, the paper shows that purposeful and legitimizing uses of performance information coexist, but they appear to be negatively associated. In exploring the contextual and organizational conditions under which legitimizing uses prevail over purposeful ones, the analysis shows that oversight (coercive) and political (normative) pressures, hierarchical culture, and low-performance information availability foster the dominance of the legitimizing use type over the purposeful one.

Source: Public Management Review

DOI: 10.1080/14719037.2019.1599059

Authors: Sanja Korac, Iris Saliterer, Mariafrancesca Sicilia, Ileana Steccolini

Institutions: University of Klagenfurt, University of Freiburg, University of Bergamo, Newcastle University

Language: English

Topic: Public Policy and Administration Research

Subfield: Public Administration

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Peace, justice, and strong institutions, Sustainable cities and communities

Open Access status: green

Funder: Oesterreichische Nationalbank