Wholey first defines "performance measurement" and then explains how it can serve both formative and summative evaluation functions. He also offers the view that formative evaluation is typically more useful than summative for governmental purposes, and that performance measurement is more useful than one-shot evaluations (of either formative or summative stripe). Challenges to evaluators wishing to contribute to performance measurement methodology are outlined.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Affholter, D.P. (1994). Outcome monitoring In J. S. Wholey, H. P. Hatry, & K. E. Newcomer (Eds.), Handbook of practical program evaluation, pp. 96-118. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
2.
Behn, R.B. (1995). The big questions of public managementPublic Administration Review, 55(4), 313-324.
3.
Berger, P.L. & Luckmann, T.L. (1966). The social construction of realityGarden City, NY: Doubleday .
4.
Caudle, S.L. (1994). Using qualitative approaches In J. S. Wholey, H. P. Hatry, & K. E. Newcomer (Eds.), Handbook of practical program evaluation, pp. 69-95. San Francisco : Jossey-Bass.
5.
Hatry, H. (1989). Determining the effectiveness of government services In J. Perry (Ed.), Handbook of practical program evaluation , pp. 469-482. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
6.
Hatry, H., & Fountain, J.R. (1990). Service efforts and accomplishments reporting: Its time has comeNorwalk, CT: Governmental Accounting Standards Board.
7.
Kirlin, J.J. (October, 1995). The big questions of public administration Unpublished manuscript.
8.
Koskinen, J.A. (December, 1995). Strategic planning and performance measurement: Learning as we go Memorandum to members of the President's Management Council. Washington, DC: Office of Management and Budget.
9.
Olsen, R. (December, 1995). GAA status report and action items Memorandum to members of the Government Accomplishment and Accountability Task Force. Washington, DC: American Society for Public Administration.
10.
Scheirer, M.A. (1994). Designing and using process evaluation In J. S. Wholey, H. P. Hatry, & K. E. Newcomer (Eds.), Handbook of practical program evaluation, pp. 40-68. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
11.
Scriven, M. (1991). Beyond formative and summative evaluation In M. W. McLaughlin & D. D. Phillips (Eds.), Evaluation and education: At quarter century, pp. 19-64. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
12.
U.S. Congress, Senate, Committee on Governmental Affairs (1993). Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 , Report 103-58, 103rd Congress, 1st sess.
13.
Wholey, J.S. (1994). Assessing the feasibility and likely usefulness of evaluation. In J. S. Wholey, H. P. Hatry, & K. E. Newcomer (Eds.), Handbook of practical program evaluation , pp. 15-39. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
