Performance measurement of policy priorities: tracking government performance
| dc.contributor.advisor | Wildschut, Lauren | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.advisor | Mouton, Johann | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.author | Mouton, Charline | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.other | Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Centre for Research on Evaluation, Science and Technology (CREST) | en_ZA |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2021-01-27T04:02:40Z | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2021-04-21T14:26:41Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2021-01-27T04:02:40Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2021-04-21T14:26:41Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2021-03 | |
| dc.description | Thesis (DPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2021. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | ENGLISH ABSTRACT: There is universal consensus that governments need to execute their functions well so that the needs of citizens are met. Performance measurement enables governments to determine whether their efforts are effective.This thesis presents a focus on one approach to improving performance through rigorous attention to the delivery of public services –referred to as Deliverology by its originator, Sir Michael Barber. As head of the Prime Minister Delivery Unit (PMDU) in the Tony Blair Government in the United Kingdom(UK), Barber developed an approach that targets the implementation shortfalls in government. This thesis employs a case study approach to provide a practical example of how Deliverology was applied in the Western Cape Government (WCG) to implement and measure the performance of six strategic programmes, called Game Changers. The WC Gunder the auspices of Premier Helen Zille, established the Western Cape Delivery Support Unit (DSU) in 2015 to drive the delivery of the Game Changer programmes. In executing the Deliverology approach, some of the perceived limitations in the performance measurement related elements of the approach were addressed through the inclusion of methods and features borrowed from main stream program evaluation (specifically theory-based approaches). The overarching aim of the study is to demonstrate that a modified Deliverology approach is an effective analytical framework to assess the performance of complex social interventions as represented by the eLearning Game Changer. This study is divided into two Parts. Part 1 provides the historical roots of Deliverology, with a focus on the direct precursors as found within the performance measurement and policy implementation traditions. I utilise the three public sector regimes of the 20thcentury -Public Administration (PA), the New Public Management (NPM) and the New Public Governance (NPG) as a framework to show the theoretical and methodological advancements over time. Deliverology has roots in both the NPG and NPM and is put forward as a recent approach to solving government’s implementation challenges Part 2 covers the eLearning Game Changer case study, where I discuss how I have added to the Deliverology approach, drawing on the performance measurement and programme evaluation traditions. Deliverology’s five-step process was utilised as the analytical framework for discussing the modified approach. The gains from using an expanded approach were found to be three-fold: the explicit use of a theory-based approach elucidated the causal pathways; an additional sub step on indicator formulation contributed to greater clarity in conceptualisation and operationalisation of indicators; and finally, the introduction of a clear distinction between short and medium term outcomes mitigated the risk for an unbalanced focus on outputs only. The distinction between short and medium term outcomes also assisted in setting realistic expectations as to what could be achieved within a relatively short period of time. The study suggests that the modified approach is suitable for more complex interventions but requires the necessary technical capabilities and human resources to be put in place. In conclusion, this case study demonstrates the value of a highly structured approach to performance measurement (as exemplified in the elements and routines and strategies of a modified Deliverology framework) when augmented with lessons learnt around theory-based monitoring and evaluation. Given the many policy reform and service delivery challenges in South Africa –basic health care, food security, education, inequality and many others –many of our social programmes are in fact complex interventions. This case study has argued for a very structured approach to tracking the performance and monitoring the outcomes of such complex programmes. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Dit word algemeen aanvaar dat regerings hul funksies goed moet uitvoer ten einde te voldoen aan die behoefte van landsburgers. Deur prestasiemeting kan regerings vasstel of hul pogings effektief is. Die studie dek ‘n benadering wat poog om regerings se prestasie te verbeter deur middel van ‘n sterk fokus op implementering –getiteld “Deliverology”. Barber het dié benadering ontwikkel toe hy aan die hoof was van die “Prime Minister Delivery Unit” in Tony Bair se kabinet. Met hierdie benadering wou Barber implementering verbeter ten einde te verseker dat meer intervensie-uitkomste bereik word. Ek volg ‘n gevalle studie benadering in die tesis, en verskaf ‘n praktiese voorbeeld van hoe Deliverology toegepas is in een van die Wes-Kaapse regering se ses strategiese programme (getiteld “Game Changers”). Premier Helen Zille het in 2015 ‘n Implementering-steuneenheid opgerig in die Wes-Kaapse regering ten einde oorsig te verskaf van die implementering van die ses “Game Changer” programme.In die implementering van die Deliverology benadering, het sekere tekortkominge rondom prestasiemeting navore gekom wat gelei het tot wysings in die Deliverology benadering. Hierdie wysigings is gedoen binne die konteks van standaard program evaluering (spesifiek teorie-gebasseerde benadering). Die studie demonstreer hoe die aangepaste Deliverology benadering ‘n effektiewe raamwerk verskaf vir die prestasiemeting van komplekse sosiale programme, soos gevind word in die eLeer “Game Changer”program. Die studie is opgedeel in twee dele. Deel 1 word gewy aan die voorlopers van Deliverology, met ‘n spesifieke fokus op die prestasiemeting, en beleidsimplementering tradisies. Ek gebruik die drie publieke sektor regimes van die 20ste eeu –naamlik “Public Administration” (PA), “New Public Management” (NPM) en “New Public Governance” (NPG) as ‘n raamwerk om die teoretiese en metodologiese bydraes van die tradisies uit te wys. Deliverology kan gekoppel word aan beide die NPG en die NPM, en word aangebied en bespreek as ‘n nuwe benadering wat kan help met regerings se implementerings uitdagings.Deel 2 beskryf die e-Leer “Game Changer” gevallestudie, waar ek die wysigings aan die Deliverology benadering bespreek. Ek gebruik die vyf stappe in die Deliverology benadering as ‘n raamwerk om die wysigings te bespreek. Die studie maak drie bydraes : die eksplisiete gebruik van ‘n teorie-gebasseerde benadering tot program monitering verskaf meer duideliheid oor die kousale ‘pathways’; die invoeg van ‘n addisionele stap 6 rondom die formulering van indikatore wat meer duidelikheid gee wat die konseptualisering en operasionalisering van indikatore betref en laastens, ‘n duidelike onderskeid tussen kort en medium termyn uitkomste. Die onderskeiding tussen kort en medium termyn uitkomste verseker dat daar realistiese verwagtinge gestel kan word in wat bereik kan word met enige intervensie oor ‘n relatiewe kort periode. Die studie suggereer dat die aangepaste benadering meer toepaslik is vir komplekse intervensies, wat vereis dat die toepaslike tegniese vaardighede en menslike hulpbronne in plek moet wees.Ten slotte, die gevallestudie demonstreer die waarde van ‘n hoogs-gestruktureerde benadering tot prestasiemeting (soos geillustreer deur die elemente, roetines en strategiee van die aangepaste Deliverology raamwerk) en soos aangevul deur teorie-gebasseerde monitoring en evaluering. Daar is ‘n menigte beleidshervormings inisiatiewe en dienslewering probleme in Suid-Afrika, byvoorbeeld basiese gesondheidsorg, voedselsekuriteit, onderwys, ongelykheid en baie ander. Baie van die sosiale programme wat onderneem word kan geklassifiseer word as komplekse intervensies. Hierdie gevallestudie demonstreer die waarde van ‘n hoogs-gestrukteerde benadering tot prestasiemeting in die geval van sodanige komplekse program. | af_ZA |
| dc.description.version | Doctoral | |
| dc.format.extent | 310 pages : illustrations | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/109800 | |
| dc.language.iso | en_ZA | en_ZA |
| dc.publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University | en_ZA |
| dc.rights.holder | Stellenbosch University | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Performance management | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Local government -- South Africa -- Western Cape | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Zille, Helen | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Deliverology | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Game changers | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Political planning -- Local government -- Performances | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | UCTD | |
| dc.title | Performance measurement of policy priorities: tracking government performance | en_ZA |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_ZA |