IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/srbeha/v39y2022i1p63-84.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A feedback view of behavioural distortions from perceived public service gaps at ‘street‐level’ policy implementation: The case of unintended outcomes in public schools

Author

Listed:
  • Carmine Bianchi
  • Robinson Salazar Rua

Abstract

This paper discusses the limitations and risks associated with the use of output‐oriented measures to assess public school performance. In particular, it questions the capability of the performance measures set by external institutions, with respect to schools, to support sustainable educational outcomes. To this end, the ‘street‐level bureaucracy’ theory is used in the paper as a basis to analyse the behavioural distortions generated by perceived public service gaps at school level policy implementation. Such unintended behavioural effects are often a major cause of disappointing outcomes when test‐based accountability systems are adopted. In the second part of the paper, an insight model referred to a hypothetic medium‐sized public school located in a poor area in Colombia is used to illustrate how a feedback approach to school performance measurement can support decision‐makers to pursue sustainable education outcomes and to prevent behavioural distortions from perceived public service gaps at ‘street‐level’ policy implementation. This analysis outlines an alternative approach to school performance measurement that might help policy makers in extending the domain of governmental benchmarks to performance measures and collaborative efforts that reflect the challenges of holistic education in the context where public schools are located.

Suggested Citation

  • Carmine Bianchi & Robinson Salazar Rua, 2022. "A feedback view of behavioural distortions from perceived public service gaps at ‘street‐level’ policy implementation: The case of unintended outcomes in public schools," Systems Research and Behavioral Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(1), pages 63-84, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:srbeha:v:39:y:2022:i:1:p:63-84
    DOI: 10.1002/sres.2771
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/sres.2771
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/sres.2771?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ncert Ncert, 2009. "Aims of Education," Working Papers id:1911, eSocialSciences.
    2. Louise K. Comfort, 1985. "Action research: A model for organizational learning," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 5(1), pages 100-118.
    3. Peter Hupe & Aurélien Buffat, 2014. "A Public Service Gap: Capturing contexts in a comparative approach of street-level bureaucracy," Public Management Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(4), pages 548-569, May.
    4. Olufunke Olufunmi Oladimeji & Heather Keathley-Herring & Jennifer A. Cross, 2020. "System dynamics applications in performance measurement research," International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 69(7), pages 1541-1578, April.
    5. Flamholtz, Eric, 1996. "Effective organizational control: A framework, applications, and implications," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 14(6), pages 596-611, December.
    6. Andy Wiggins & Peter Tymms, 2002. "Dysfunctional Effects of League Tables: A Comparison Between English and Scottish Primary Schools," Public Money & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(1), pages 43-48, January.
    7. Carmine Bianchi, 2012. "Enhancing Performance Management and Sustainable Organizational Growth Through System-Dynamics Modelling," Springer Books, in: Stefan N. Grösser & René Zeier (ed.), Systemic Management for Intelligent Organizations, edition 127, chapter 0, pages 143-161, Springer.
    8. Iseul Choi & Donald Moynihan, 2019. "How to foster collaborative performance management? Key factors in the US federal agencies," Public Management Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(10), pages 1538-1559, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. repec:dau:papers:123456789/3232 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Zhang, Chenjian & Akbik, Alexander, 2012. "PISA as a legitimacy tool during China's education reform: Case study of Shanghai," TranState Working Papers 166, University of Bremen, Collaborative Research Center 597: Transformations of the State.
    3. Bellò, Benedetta & Spano, Alessandro, 2015. "Governing the purple zone: How politicians influence public managers," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 33(5), pages 354-365.
    4. Pascal Langevin & Thierry Picq, 2001. "Controle Des Equipes Virtuelles : Une Revue," Post-Print halshs-00584636, HAL.
    5. Ahrum Chang, 2022. "A formal model of street-level bureaucracy," Rationality and Society, , vol. 34(1), pages 6-27, February.
    6. Enzo Bivona, 2014. "Outlining the impact of intellectual capital accumulation and depletion processes on the performance of an insurance firm: a dynamic resource-based perspective," MANAGEMENT CONTROL, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2014(2), pages 71-93.
    7. Gwenaëlle Nogatchewsky, 2005. "Les configurations de contrôle dans les relations client-fournisseur – Environnement, organisation du client, finalités et modalités du contrôle," Post-Print halshs-00145134, HAL.
    8. Simon Burgess & Carol Propper & Helen Slater & Deborah Wilson, 2005. "Who wins and who loses from school accountability? The distribution of educational gain in English secondary schools," The Centre for Market and Public Organisation 05/128, The Centre for Market and Public Organisation, University of Bristol, UK.
    9. Gabriela Lotta & Roberto Pires & Michael Hill & Marie Ostergaard Møller, 2022. "Recontextualizing street‐level bureaucracy in the developing world," Public Administration & Development, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 42(1), pages 3-10, February.
    10. Enzo Bivona & Federico Cosenz, 2021. "Designing a Multi‐Sided Platform business model assessment framework: a Dynamic Performance Management perspective," Systems Research and Behavioral Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(1), pages 93-107, January.
    11. Berrick, Jill Duerr & Dickens, Jonathan & Pösö, Tarja & Skivenes, Marit, 2018. "Care order templates as institutional scripts in child protection: A cross-system analysis," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 40-47.
    12. Enzo Bivona, 2021. "Il dynamic business modelling per lo sviluppo e la prevenzione delle crisi delle piattaforme multi-sided," MANAGEMENT CONTROL, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2021(suppl. 2), pages 91-113.
    13. Ewelina Zarzycka & Justyna Dobroszek & Lauri Lepistö & Sinikka Moilanen, 2019. "Coexistence of innovation and standardization: evidence from the lean environment of business process outsourcing," Journal of Management Control: Zeitschrift für Planung und Unternehmenssteuerung, Springer, vol. 30(3), pages 251-286, October.
    14. Deborah Wilson & Bronwyn Croxson & Adele Atkinson, 2004. "“What Gets Measured Gets Done”: Headteachers’ Responses to the English Secondary School," The Centre for Market and Public Organisation 04/107, The Centre for Market and Public Organisation, University of Bristol, UK.
    15. Einat Lavee & Amit Kaplan, 2022. "Invisible work at work and the reproduction of gendered social service organizations," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(5), pages 1463-1480, September.
    16. repec:dau:papers:123456789/3235 is not listed on IDEAS
    17. Rouziès, Dominique & Onyemah, Vincent & Panagopoulos, Nikolaos, 2008. "How HRM control affects boundary-spanning employees’ behavioural strategies and satisfaction : The moderating impact of cultural performance orientation," HEC Research Papers Series 895, HEC Paris.
    18. Shenghao Guo & Bo Wen & Natalie Wai‐Man Wong, 2022. "Handling in the frontline: A case study of “whistle gathering” in Beijing," Public Administration & Development, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 42(2), pages 159-164, May.
    19. Leclercq-Vandelannoitte, Aurélie, 2021. "“Seeing to be seen”: The manager’s political economy of visibility in new ways of working," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 39(5), pages 605-616.
    20. repec:dau:papers:123456789/2447 is not listed on IDEAS
    21. Koen PR Bartels, 2018. "Collaborative dynamics in street level work: Working in and with communities to improve relationships and reduce deprivation," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 36(7), pages 1319-1337, November.
    22. Gwenaëlle Nogatchewsky, 2005. "Les Configurations De Contrôle Dans Les Relations Client-Fournisseur Environnement - Organisation Du Client - Finalités Et Modalités Du Contrôle," Post-Print halshs-00581256, HAL.
    23. Yue Wang & Honggen Zhu & Noshaba Aziz & Yu Liu, 2023. "Does Social Capital Improve the Effectiveness of Public Service? An Insight from Rural-to-Urban Migrants in China," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 165(2), pages 431-452, January.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:srbeha:v:39:y:2022:i:1:p:63-84. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/1092-7026 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.