Outcome-Based Performance Management: Experiences from Swedish Central Government

Abstract

This paper discusses the use of outcome-based performance management in Swedish central government agencies, with particular reference to how it has evolved in response to the government's growing emphasis on citizen orientation and interagency collaboration. Although a general tendency toward increasing reliance on subjective, user-perceived outcomes is discernible, the use of outcome indicators for internal control purposes is still limited. We also observe inconsistencies and tensions between different outcome indicators in several policy areas and a tendency for some agencies to trade off achievement of these and adapt selectively to the government's reform agenda. The implications of these findings for research and policy development are discussed.