Performance Management: Multidisciplinary Perspectives

Citation

Bamford, J. (2010), "Performance Management: Multidisciplinary Perspectives", International Journal of Operations & Production Management, Vol. 30 No. 2, pp. 225-226. https://doi.org/10.1108/01443571011018725

This book consists of 19 chapters split into three sections, supported by a bibliography, author index, and subject index. The book is formed from contributions from 23 authors in the field of performance management and related disciplines.

Part I covers a multidisciplinary approach to performance management. It discusses the main functions and contexts in which performance management is practiced, reviewing the research, and suggesting directions for future research. The chapter moves on to consider performance measurement and management frameworks, and the complexity of the topic. The most potentially useful section for the practitioner as opposed to the academic is the discussion of different approaches to performance management in the third chapter which offers practical advice on best practice.

Part II discusses performance management from the perspectives of nine management or academic disciplines and three different “domains” (small firms, the public, and voluntary sectors). This section covers the range of perspectives on performance management, each perspective taken from a different set of contributors. I feel that this section will be of more interest to the academic rather than the practitioner, the breadth of the discussion will provide a useful background, and signposting to further study. However, there are some “hidden gems” such as the discussion on encouraging appropriate organisational responses with lists “9 enemies of virtuous performance management,” the difficulty for the practitioner is finding them.

The final part seeks to move us towards a truly multidisciplinary perspective on performance management by bringing together the different perspectives and domains discussed in Part II into common themes and emerging messages. Rather than try to preset a unified theory or approach the book concludes that research in this area is a “work in progress” and suggests directions for future research. As an emerging practitioner I found little of interest in this section, other than some recommended approaches to performance management. For the academic there is a useful table summarising the key features of performance management practice and research.

This book is firmly aimed at an academic audience. In my opinion, the focus on research, and the disjointed nature inherent in drawing on over 20 contributors would make it less accessible to the practitioner. The strengths of the book however, are in the wide scope of the contributions, and the differing perspectives on the same topic area. If you are looking for a wide ranging discussion on performance management rather than definitive conclusions, or a “how to” guide, then this book has a lot to offer.