1st Edition

Performance Management in Local Government A Guide to Improving Public Outcomes Through Evidence-Informed Decisions

By Obed Pasha Copyright 2027
234 Pages 48 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

234 Pages 48 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

Performance Management in Local Government is a comprehensive guidebook for local public managers on the effective use of performance management systems to improve public outcomes. Drawing on decades of research, case studies, and practical experience, this book demystifies the performance management process for local government leaders, offering actionable strategies for implementation,... Read more

Introduction

Section I: Defining Performance Management

Chapter 1: What Is Performance Management?

Chapter 2: Effective Performance Management

Section II: Strengthening The Organizational Factors

Chapter 3: Mission-Oriented Climate

Chapter 4: Gaining Employee Support

Chapter 5: Organizational Integration

Chapter 6: Tools Of Integration

Chapter 7: Gaining Political Support

Section III: Strategic Planning

Chapter 8: Preparing For The Planning Process

Chapter 9: Vision, Mission, And Goals

Chapter 10: Setting Clear Objectives

Chapter 11: Action Development, Planning, And Implementation

Section IV: Performance Measurement

Chapter 12: Measuring What Matters

Chapter 13: Getting To Know Your Data

Section V: Data Analysis And Decision-Making

Chapter 14: Data Comparisons

Chapter 15: Data Disaggregation

Chapter 16: Analysis By Dialogue

Chapter 17: Making Evidence-Informed Decisions

Section VI: What’s Next?

Chapter 18: Performance Reporting To The Board And Beyond

Chapter 19: Maintaining A Healthy System

Section VII: Case Studies

Chapter 20: Mesa’s Trees Are Cool

Chapter 21: New Performance Management System In Freddieville

Appendix: Methodology

Index

 

Biography

Obed Pasha is Associate Professor of Public Management and Director of the North Carolina Benchmarking Project in the School of Government at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, USA.

“Obed Pasha demystifies how performance data can be used in government, masterfully connecting measurement tools to the broader organizational environment in which they operate. This book distills decades of hard-won wisdom into an accessible format that should be of interest to anyone who wants to make government work better.”

Don Moynihan, Professor of Public Policy, University of Michigan

“An incredibly helpful, beautifully written, and highly readable book for government practitioners, with key concepts concisely identified and illustrated. The book will benefit not only local government officials, but also federal, state, and other governments in the United States and abroad to advance social outcomes.”

Shelley Metzenbaum, Former Associate Director for Performance and Personnel Management at the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Fellow to the National Academy of Public Administration

“Performance Management is dynamic and continues to evolve amid constant advances in technology and the tools available, and ever‑increasing pressures on local government staff and elected officials to deliver results. This timely book brings the field up to date with the latest thinking and practical examples of what the work can look like in our city halls and the communities we serve when we bring data and evidence to bear.”

Dave Gottesman, Assistant City Manager, City of Rockville, Maryland