Institutionalizing the Performance Management System in Public Organizations in Ghana

Abstract

In the past 30 years, performance management has become an important aspect of attempts to enhance the efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability of public organizations. Fostering or institutionalizing a performance-driven culture in public organizations is a daunting task, but robust organization-wide performance management systems would have tremendous leverage in the organization. This paper examines Ghana's attempt to use legislation to institutionalize a performance management system in public organizations. Such attempts, it is argued, may force the establishment of a performance management system but would in no way lead to the institutionalization of a performance management culture due to problems associated with the processes of institutionalization. The article thus illustrates the problem associated with the use of legislation to foster performance management in organizations. It looks at a number of avenues that must be pursued to achieve this objective and adds to the voices calling for new ways of ensuring a performance-driven culture in public organizations.