Essay Example: Performance Management Questions

Performance management plays an instrumental role in the smooth running of a country, ensuring ongoing communication between the government which in this instance are the employees of the general public and the public who hold the position of a supervisor in this relationship. Moreover, it is essential for those in authority to be held accountable for the actions within their jurisdiction, which are conceivable through performance management. The merit of the performance of those in power through public service delivery is measured against set objectives. As such, to achieve those above, effective government accountability is critical.

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Reporting on the performance by the agents to the principals is vital in making the operations of the government transparent and controllable. For example, financial reporting enables the citizenry to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the government. In the onset of every fiscal year, the government adopts a financial budget to be used in service delivery. Consequently, information conceived from the financial reports enables the relevant principals to analyze the results of their operations against the adopted budget and make decisions. Therefore, it is evident that performance management is key to government accountability. Through the assessments of the performance of the government against the legal budget, the government is held responsible for the outcomes of their operations.

Additionally, reporting on the performance of the government can be used as a tool of control in the governance of a country. Accountability being responsiveness, reporting can be used in monitoring actions of the government. It is essential to acknowledge that the government adopts and implements policies which are relevant to the citizenry. Measures were taken by the government in service delivery play a significant role in the perception of the results. Performance management is critical to hold the government accountable.

On the same thought, mitigation actions are another essential way for which accountability is achieved through performance management. There are instances where the outcomes of government operations are not desirable to the public or are contrary to their expectations. In these instances, different actions are expected of those in authority to counter the effects of these results. Through admission of the errors and justification, if need be, the government is held accountable for the same. Notably, fee and taking responsibility are critical factors in the mitigation process.

It is also important to note the advantages associated with accountability, such as transparency. Currently, there are several forces in play, such as bureaucracy that, in most cases, affect the governance of a nation and its policies. Reporting on the performance of the government helps in curtailing such forces as the citizens are aware of their government's operations and actions. Moreover, abuse of office by those in authority is easily identified, and those associated held responsible when there is performance management.

Additionally, the pressure associated with the same ensures that public servants perfume their duties in line with the expectations. Disclosing of the government operations to the public would ensure that individuals in leadership positions act by the law and set regulations and also carry out the responsibility of the offices they hold. It is the key to efficient and effective service delivery to the public. Correspondingly, improvement in the delivery of government services and quality of the services would be realized. It is because, due to public scrutiny of the government's operations, the government will be obliged and under pressure due to the general expectations to deliver not just what is required of them but also to improve the service delivery and the quality of the service provided.

Besides, performance measurement faces several challenges. For instance, some of the outcomes are difficult to measure. It may be due to several reasons such as lack of clarity in the purpose of the program or lack of sufficient data to aid in the performance measurement. Moreover, the difficulty may be as a result of different views by the parties involved. In the instance where there it is inherently difficult to measure the performance; it is essential that specific measures are taken into place to help. For example, in case there is no sufficient data like in the occasion where the quantitative data is not enough, it would be wise to use qualitative data.

Additionally, performance measurement challenges can be navigated by the formation of incentives for higher program performance. It is essential to come up with ways to boost the performance of an organization such as the creation of financial rewards and lousy publicity in case of poor performance. Such incentives would go a long way in affecting performance. Moreover, rewards also help as a motivational factor to the individuals in a program and generally improves the morale of individuals.

Moreover, reforming the system to focus more on results is also an effective way of overcoming the challenges. It is important to note that the outcome of operations mostly determines performance. In the cases where the results are not meeting expectations, it is considered a failure, whereas good results determine suitable performance. As a result, it is vital that in case there are challenges, the means of operations may redesign to focus more on the outcome of the service.

Correspondingly it is also essential to overcome bureaucratic and political challenges that may affect the performance. Political problems are mostly associated with cases where one is more concerned with individual gains rather than the public good. It may hamper the measure of performance. In these cases, it is crucial to come up with practical approaches to align and reconcile individual objectives and those of the organization in several ways or come up with policies that discourage unethical practices if need be. It will ultimately affect the challenges resulting from the cases above.

Another way of curtailing the challenges is by forming a performance partnership. It involves two or more organizations where, in case of performance challenges, they come together in partnership efforts to achieve intended outcomes. In these instances, this can be achieved by tracking the progress of the partnership and identifying where they fall short, consequently gaining knowledge on how to improve.

Similarly, expectations are a very critical part of performance measurement. Where the components of the report are known by all the parties involved, the principal and the agent. It is integral in the assessment as both sides must understand it. As a result, clarity of the scope and depth is essential and should be built to assure the mitigation of the challenges in performance measurements.

Trust is also vital in tackling the challenges in performance measurement. Trust is associated with expectation in that one party believes that the other party in the engagement will act as expected. As a result, it is equally important to cultivate trust among the individuals involved in the meeting. Moreover, trust also plays an essential role in good governance as it eliminates tension commonly associated with mistrust. It is important to note that accountability prospers mainly in instances where relationships are cultivated over a period.

Additionally, developing systems where individuals are answerable is also another way of mitigating the challenges associated. For example, in most instances, individuals when are not liable to an authority in a hierarchy may fail to perform and hence reluctant to accountability. In this case, it is vital to come up with a system where one is answerable and their actions monitored, and as a result, they will take into account the consequences of inappropriate behaviors. It will help improve performance measurement and also strengthen accountability.

Furthermore, the environment of blameworthiness is also an important measure to help strengthen and uphold accountability and improve performance measurement. It involves the situation where one is related to a group that is believed to be responsible for a particular case or in the instances that one is perceived to have heard prior of an event that might have had detrimental consequences. It may also be associated with an individual who is believed to have had a hand in a bad situation. Creating an environment of blameworthiness makes individuals accountable for there action and as a result, affects the performance measurements.

On the same, it is also essential to formulate legal environments where individuals are held liable for their actions. It is vital in ensuring that one is aware of and understands the consequences that are associated with the actions they commit. Proper behavior is critical in understanding the relationship between performance and accountability. For example, in case an individual commits an act that is contrary to the expectations associated with the relevant policies, then they are under obligation to answer for their actions, and as a result, this fosters an environment of accountability and helps mitigate challenges associated with performance measurement.

Also, settings statuses that subject as to attributions of excellent performance and effectiveness which is associated with what is expected with an individual at a particular position or role is another way of mitigating the challenges related to performance. It is important to note that individuals in leadership positions are under obligation to perform what is expected of them. As such, if this is not the case, then the individual is to blame and is answerable. Consequently, this boost performance accountability.

It is important to note that individuals in both the public sector and the private sector and are in a position of leadership, hold an office or has a role to play in a setting need to be accountable for their performance. Expectations may vary due to different social and cultural settings as well as jurisdictions; hence, the blameworthiness or liability or attributes to an individual or a group need to be pegged on a relevant set of rules. Moreover, accountability ensures transparency in service delivery and the performance of actions of public managers.

As well, public managers also need to note that their positions of leadership in the public domain are subject to scrutiny and as a result, it is crucial that they perform up to the expectations of the general public and also avoid actions of self-satisfaction since they will be held accountable. Similarly, It is essential to report back to the citizens on the performance of the government to build trust with the citizens who are in this case, the principals.

Public managers also need to note that the public can access arenas to challenge poor leadership and abuse of authority. Civil servants need to carry out their roles with ethical precision since the positions they hold are in service to the general public and hence, abuse of power or authority can be challenged and judged. In conclusion, performance is critical in the accountability of operations. As a result, it is crucial to carry out performance management to foster competence and effectiveness in service delivery.

Bibliography

Dubnick, Melvin. "Accountability and the promise of performance: In search of the mechanisms." Public Performance & Management Review 28, no. 3 (2005): 376-417.