Identifying barriers to the application of standardized performance indicators in local government

• Published in: Public management review Vol. 10; no. 2; pp. 241 - 262
• Main Authors: Galera, Andrés Navarro, Rodríguez, David Ortiz, López Hernández, Antonio M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Routledge 01.01.2008
• Subjects: Barriers in application; Benchmarking; Efficiency; Indicators; local administration; Local Government; Management; performance indicators; Public management; Public Services; Reform
• ISSN: 1471-9037; 1471-9045
• DOI: 10.1080/14719030801928706

Local governments in many countries are implementing administrative reforms within the framework of New Public Management (NPM) in order to improve the quality and productivity of public services. The use of performance indicators and benchmarking facilitates evaluation of efficiency regarding the provision of such services and favours the acquisition of better practices. The problems that may arise in the introduction of performance indicators in local government mainly concern the consensual design and standardization of indicators for various entities, the method to be used for calculations and the selection of analytical criteria to be applied to the values obtained. In this article, we identify obstacles that may be encountered in achieving a standardized definition of performance indicators within local government and, on the basis of learning from the practical experience of several large city councils in Spain, formulate strategies to resolve these problems, taking note of the viability and real efficacy of the solutions adopted.