Internal performance-based steering in public sector organizations: Examining the effect of organizational autonomy and external result control

The use of performance management techniques by public sector organizations is believed to lead to a more efficient and better-performing public sector. Using multicountry survey data, this article provides an understanding of the effect of organizational autonomy and external result control on the use of internal performance-based steering toward lower hierarchical levels in public sector organizations. Results show that result control matters, as does financial management autonomy, but no effects can be observed for personnel management autonomy.