The politics of performance assessment

Lessons for higher education

Datos Bibliográficos

ID4098474
AutoresChristopher Pollitt (The Open University, autor de correspondencia)
Año1987
Volumen12
Número1
Páginas87-98
Fecha de publicación1987-01-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessNo
TipoARTICLE
RevistaStudies in Higher Education (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0307-5079 • E-ISSN: 1470-174X
EditorialInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/03075078712331378290
OpenAlexW2113796959
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas7
Referencias citadas10

Beginning with a typology of the purposes of performance assessment schemes in the public sector, the paper goes on to argue that in practice certain of these purposes have received much more political and organisational support than others. In particular, there has been a tendency in several public services for managerialist schemes to develop which place prime emphasis on economy and efficiency. This type of scheme may actually reduce the chances of achieving other kinds of objectives, particularly those concerned with effectiveness, professional development and collegiality. There has also been extensive neglect of the potential role of consumers in performance assessment. This analysis is then carried forward to a more detailed examination of different mechanisms by which assessment and appraisal schemes are implemented. Here, too, the tension between ‘top-down ̊s efficiency schemes and professional development is clear. In conclusion an attempt is made to examine the implications of these schemes and mechanisms employed in other public services (and other countries) for higher education in the UK. It is suggested that, politically, the relationship between professional providers and consumers may become of even greater significance than it has been in the past

Collegiality · Economic growth · Economics · Higher education · Management · New public management · Pedagogy · Performance appraisal · Political science · Politics · Public relations · Public sector · Sociology · Typology · Law · Public Administration · Public Policy and Administration Research