Performance measurement as precursor to organizational evaluation capacity building

Abstract

The widespread use of performance measurement and program evaluation in public administrations worldwide has been met with varying degrees of success, in terms of increased transparency and effectiveness. In many cases, the lack of impact of these functions is attributed to insufficient organizational knowledge and capacity to implement proper monitoring and evaluation systems. Both of these management tools are recognized in their own right as having the potential to contribute to ongoing decision-making and budgetary allocations within public organizations; however, they have complementary roles in terms of producing ongoing versus periodic information, and focusing on outputs and early outcomes versus longer-term program objectives. This paper attempts to bridge these two functions by proposing that performance measurement can act as a precursor to the development of organizational evaluation capacity, by providing some of the building blocks required to develop an evaluative culture within an organization. Five models of organizational evaluation capacity were analyzed to identify the extent to which performance measurement contributes to evaluation capacity building.