This is a review of the article called “Why Measure Performance”, written by Robert Behn. The article talks about why it is essential and relevant to measure performance in an agency. This paper reviews this article and Incorporates lessons learned from two books. These books are Performance and Productivity in Public and Non-Profit Organizations" by Evan Berman and Public Administration- Cases managerial role-playing" by Robert P. Watson.
This article begins by questioning why managers need to measure performance in their agency. The author continues to explain how measuring performance is an integral part of the evaluation process. It is done to find out what work is done and what is not mainly (Neely, 1999) . The author goes on to classify the reasons into specific purposes.
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The first one is to evaluate, which means that an organization should collect data about how well the government agency is doing (Behn, 2003). The second one is to control. Modern managers have evolved from controlling people or organizations but rather lead them. Behn says that the only way to exercise control is to measure what people are doing. The third reason is for budgeting. In this, the government should determine programs, activities, or units that need funding. It is however stipulated that budgeting is not the best tool to measure performance (Tangen, 2005) . The fourth reason is to motivate. Senior leaders always find ways to motivate their staff, collaborators, citizens and collaborators. This is the most helpful way that an organization can conduct performance measures.
The fifth reason is to promote. Behn explores ways political leaders can journalist, stakeholders and citizens that what they are doing is commendable. The sixth one is for celebration. The author explains how it is significant for employees and their executive leaders to celebrate after specific accomplishments. Agencies and organizations need to find a reason to celebrate, and performance measures provide a standard measure of a reason to celebrate or not.
The seventh reason is for the purpose of learning. Tentative lessons learned from performance measures can inspire learning; what is working, what is not, and why. The eighth reason is to improve. Behn explains how the leaders of an agency or an organization can get help from performance measures by usefully using performance measures. All the other reasons lead to the reason for improvement. The author talks about how exactly this improvement is significant and needs an explicit theory to understand how the staff use performance measures to improve the organization.
In The book Performance and Productivity in Public and Non-Profit Organizations by Evan Berman, Evan expresses his sentiments by saying that managers and their organizations make accomplishment lists and are proud of them (Berman, 2015) . They award the program and individuals who make these achievements. This relates to Behn's book. They both talk about the celebration after achievement. Employees are rewarded for exemplary work done, and managers are promoted. They focus on the organization producing high results. For this, a performance measure is needed.
In case21 of the book Public Administration- Cases managerial role-playing" by Robert P. Watson., Watson develops a strategic plan on a hypothetical organization and explains the benefits of strategic goals and performance measures (Watson, 2002) . This relates to the benefits of stakeholders in Behn's book. This chapter elaborates the types of a strategic planning process that a character Herd used. It is clear that there are similarities between the three books. The authors had a common idea and regarding why performance should be measured.
References
Barton, J., Hansen, T. B., & Pownall, G. (2010). Which performance measures do investors around the world value the most—And why?. The Accounting Review , 85 (3), 753-789.
Behn, R. D. (2003). Why measure performance? Different purposes require different measures. Public administration review , 63 (5), 586-606.
Berman, E. M. (2015). Performance and productivity in public and nonprofit organizations . Routledge.
Neely, A. (1999). The performance measurement revolution: why now and what next?. International journal of operations & production management .
Tangen, S. (2005). Improving the performance of a performance measure. Measuring Business Excellence .
Watson, R. P. (2002). Public Administration: Cases in managerial role-playing . New York: Longman.
