Discussion board questions

 

1.  Consider business management approaches such as Deming's Quality Circles or TQM in government, some of which is discussed in the text. Why did it gain such favor and then fade from popularity over time, and how does this relate to other management approaches taken from business?

2.  Performance measurement is critical in assessing productivity in government, but it has been a challenging effort.  What are the barriers to effective performance management in government?

3.  Performance measurement tends to focus on output and outcome measures.  Explain each, and discuss why we frequently resort to output measures to gauge performance.   What techniques should be used measure and manage performance?

4.  Considering that governmental entities are having to compete for the provision of services, who should be held responsible for the performance of private entities taking on government services?  Should there be a limit to which services can be privatized, and if so why?

5.  What is the purpose of program evaluation, what does it rely on?

6.  Discuss the different program evaluations and when they should be conducted?

7.   What are the key ethical considerations in conducting program evaluations?