Results of the GASB Survey of Government Performance Measurement

[Dean Mead <dmmead@gasb.org>]

Performance Measurement at the State and Local Levels: A Summary of Survey
Results

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As part of the continuing GASB research on the use and effect of using
performance measures by state and local governments, an extensive mail
survey was sent to state budget offices, state agency staff, and city and
county budget and department staff across the country. 

This summary report of the findings of the survey, done by Katherine G.
Willoughby and Julia E. Melkers of Georgia State University with a grant
from the Sloan Foundation, provides an overview of the survey findings. The
report is available in Adobe Acrobat format for downloading. Additional
analyses of the survey findings are being published by Professors Willoughby
and Melkers, and notices will be posted on this site as they are completed.

The summary of survey results is provided for five areas of the use and
effect of using performance measures: (1) To what extent are performance
measures being used? (2) In what ways are performance measures being used?
(3) How effective are the performance measures that are being used? (4) How
are performance measures being maintained and communicated? and (5) How are
performance measures being implemented?

Among the findings provided in the summary is the indication that the use of
performance measures by state and local governments is continuing its
growth. However, there is still a tendency to use input, activity, and
output measures more than outcome measures. Those responding also indicated
that they plan to increase their use of performance measures in the next one
to four years.

When asked in what ways performance measures were effective, the most often
mentioned areas were in improving communication among various parties
involved including with executive-level and elected officials. Also
relatively frequently mentioned was changing strategies to achieve desired
results and changing the questions a legislator or their staff asks
government managers. 

If you have questions about the summary report, please contact Wilson
Campbell of the GASB at  <mailto:wscampbell@gasb.org> wscampbell@gasb.org.


 <http://accounting.rutgers.edu/raw/seagov/pmg/surveyII.pdf> Download the
survey (Adobe Acrobat Reader required) 



 <http://www.adobe.com/prodindex/acrobat/readstep.html> 

 

Dean Michael Mead 
Project Manager 
Governmental Accounting Standards Board 
203/847-0700, ext. 294 
dmmead@gasb.org 
www.gasb.org and www.seagov.org

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