Regulation and Operational Performance Measures : The Case of French Museums and of The French Income Support Scheme

Pascale Amans (1) , Sylvie Rascol-Boutard (2)

1 LGC - Laboratoire de Gestion et de Cognition
2 LCL - Laboratoire des collectivités locales

This paper investigates how organizations in the public sector are managed on the basis of an operational performance measure. More precisely, it focuses on how these organizations regulate themselves, and/or are audited on the basis of an operational performance measure. It is based on the case of two different types of organisations: French museums on the one hand and the framework of the French income support scheme on the other hand. Thus, it is based on the case of two operational performance measures: audience (museums) and the number of exits (French income support scheme). Indeed, the studied organisations are complex and complexity is partly due to their being related to the public sector 1. Ironically, this paper tends to show that the more complex these organizations seem to be, the simpler their control systems are. Even the actors whose work is audited, in spite of their criticizing operational performance measures, seem to recommend the use of one of these. This paper is structured as follows. First, our theoretical framework is described. Second, we present our research method. Third, we outline some of the main findings of this study. Finally, implications and insights are discussed, along with directions for future research.

Mots clés: Control; Performance; Operational performance measures; Complexity; Public sector; French museums; French income support scheme

Domaines: Gestion et management

Pascale Amans, Sylvie Rascol-Boutard. Regulation and Operational Performance Measures : The Case of French Museums and of The French Income Support Scheme . A Performing Public Sector : The Second Transantlantic Dialogue, 2006, Leuven, Belgium. ⟨hal-01662428⟩