The “interactive” performance measurement system and team performance – Towards optimal organizational utility

Abstract

PurposeThis study aims to highlight the significance of Performance Measurement System (PMS) as an “interactive” system that adapts to the organization's peculiar operational setup, thereby delivering optimal employee performance management benefits. Using Schatzki's (2002) “site of the social” theoretical conceptualization, it aims to empirically investigate the influence PMS's such strategic adaptation could have on employees' team performance through its mediating effect on improving organizational learning and knowledge sharing.Design/methodology/approachIn pursuit of the set objective, we conducted a survey of 200 employees in public accounting firms located in the two major Indonesian cities of Jakarta and Surabaya. The survey yielded 89 responses of which 87 were deemed fit for empirical analyses. The statistical analyses of the data were performed using SmartPLS.FindingsThe statistical analyses using SmartPLS found evidence that the strategic use of the PMS positively influences team performance, both directly and indirectly, through its role in enhancing organizational learning; however, its role in enhancing knowledge sharing did not demonstrate leveraging team performance.Research limitations/implicationsThe study conclusions are based on a relatively small data sample and the context of a developing economy, and, hence, need to be replicated with caution.Originality/valueThe study contributes to the management accounting theory and practice and emphasizes the strategic use of PMS to help improve organizational performance. Its novel “site” and context directs researchers' and practitioners' attention to the “interactive”, rather than passive and standalone, use of PMS to influence team performance and instigates a new debate on the management tool's optimal use.