Dubnick, Melvin J., “The Promise of Accountable Performance.” Presentation at a Symposium and Discussion on “Accountability and Performance: What Works, What Doesn’t and Why?” University of Massachusetts-Boston, April 28, 2010.
AI-Generated Summary:
The document discusses various perspectives on accountability in public management, emphasizing promises, challenges, and the complexity of measuring performance.
Different Ages of Accountability
- The text describes evolving concepts of accountability, including “age of rhetorical,” “iconic,” and “aspirational” accountability.
- It suggests that current accountability ideas often focus on image and ideals rather than practical results.
- The “age of actual accountability” emphasizes real performance and outcomes over rhetoric.
Promises Made by Managers and Reformers
- Various groups promise control, ethical behavior, democracy, justice, integrity, and performance.
- These promises aim to address governance issues and rebuild trust in institutions.
- The promises often reflect idealized goals that may not fully align with actual practices.
Accountability as a Prism for Performance
- Accountability is viewed as a lens to interpret public sector performance.
- In theory, accountability provides clear answers and guides policy based on facts.
- In practice, it raises questions, requires interpretation, and can distort policy objectives.
Challenges and Critiques of Accountability
- The document questions whether accountability truly solves problems or creates design issues.
- It highlights the gap between theoretical ideals and practical realities.
- The “reporting citizen feedback” and audits are seen as measures that may not fully capture performance.
The Complexity of Measuring Performance
- Performance involves behaviors, competence, production, and productivity.
- Accountability measures often focus on reporting and feedback but may overlook deeper issues.
- The “prism” effect shows how accountability can both clarify and complicate understanding of performance.
Broader Context and Critical Perspectives
- The text references debates around policies like No Child Left Behind.
- It emphasizes the need to rethink and reframe accountability to avoid superficial solutions.
- Academics, practitioners, and critics view accountability as a complex, multi-dimensional challenge.