A Learning Based Approach to Performance Management: Drivers of learning-oriented use of performance information

This article adds to the empirical knowledge of drivers of learning-oriented use of performance information, paying special interest to the creation of learning forums. On the basis of survey responses from public managers in... [ view full abstract ]

This article adds to the empirical knowledge of drivers of learning-oriented use of performance information, paying special interest to the creation of learning forums. On the basis of survey responses from public managers in Danish municipalities, we analyze learning forums together with already established key factors (support capacity, measurability of tasks, and innovative culture) impacting managers’ use performance information. Furthermore, we examine whether the relationship between learning forums and public managers’ learning-oriented use of performance information is moderated and/or mediated by support capacity, measurability, and innovative culture. The analyses show that both the existence of learning forums and having adequate support capacity are significant and positively related to managers’ learning-oriented use of performance information. It also shows that support capacity significantly and positively mediates the effect of learning forums on managers’ learning-oriented information use. The analyses show no significant moderations. The article contributes to the discussion of learning forums and managers’ information use by connecting learning forums directly to managers’ learning-oriented use of performance information by comparing the effect of learning forums relative to effects of other established important drivers of information use and by advancing the understanding of possible moderating and mediating mechanisms between learning forums and the managers’ learning oriented use of performance information.