Performance management in the voluntary sector – responding to complexity. (24th November 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lowe, Toby
• Is Part Of: Voluntary sector review. Volume 8:Number 3(2017)
• Page Start: 319
• Page End: 331
• Publication Date: 2017-11-24
• Subjects: FUNDING -- PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT -- EVALUATION -- COMPLEXITY; Voluntarism -- Periodicals; Voluntarism -- Research -- Periodicals; Associations, institutions, etc -- Periodicals; 361.3705
• DOI: 10.1332/204080517X15006273841592
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2040-8056

Abstract

Abstract : This paper reviews the rise of new public management approaches to performance management in the voluntary sector and argues that outcome-based performance management – the dominant paradigm for performance management in the sector – fails to respond to the complex nature of voluntary sector challenges and activity. The paper argues that we need a new paradigm for performance management, which focuses on learning and improvement of practice, not on accountability for outcomes.