Purpose – This paper aims to identify the impact and workings of a new performance management system in a branch of a national bank. Design/methodology/approach – Performance data of the branch, before and after introducing a new performance management system, were collected and the results...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify the main problems that can be encountered during the implementation and use of a performance management system (PMS). Design/methodology/approach – Problems encountered during the implementation and use of a PMS were collected from the...

Purpose – To test whether performance management is a useful management tool for organisations in developing countries. Design/methodology/approach – Firstly, an overview is given of the status of performance management in developing countries and in particular in Africa. Secondly,...

Purpose – At the end of 2007, the Journal of Management History published a special issue on the topic of excellence, titled Our Dreams of Excellence . In this issue, Guest Editor Dahlgaard‐Park stated that research into excellence had taken a high flight in recent years despite the fact...

Purpose – Seeks to identify the characteristics of high performance organizations (HPO) so managers can start improving their organizations in such a way that these also become HPOs. Design/methodology/approach – The research is based on a meta‐analysis of the results of 91 HPO studies...

“What you measure is what you get” is a favorite aphorism of many a management writer. As most practicing managers know, measures drive management behavior, especially if they are reinforced by reward systems. But few organizations have understood the importance of this connection and dealt...

Without doubt Robert Kaplan has been, in the last decade, and continues to be the most influential thinker in the field of performance management, and his Balanced Scorecard is the most successful concept in this field. The article is a summary of an interview with Robert Kaplan, co‐author of...

Purpose – To elicit the views of Ken Merchant regarding management control and performance. Design/methodology/approach – An interview with Ken Merchant before his keynote speech during the lustrum congress of the Dutch Controllers Institute in November 2004. Findings – Provides an...

Purpose – Traditionally, budgeting is considered to be one of the most important management tools to steer the organisation, evaluate its performance and motivate its people. However, criticism of the budgeting process has increased considerably in the past decade. This paper aims to examine...