Original
The Practice and Origins of Performance Measurement: Assessing the Sunnyvale Model, 1984–2023
Abstract
ABSTRACT Few regulatory reforms are as celebrated or emulated as the performance measurement system of Sunnyvale, California, which inspired the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 and countless other national and local efforts. This study presents the first longitudinal, cross‐programmatic analysis of a performance measurement system, introducing a digital archival approach to analyze 152 performance indicators across 35,000 pages of documents from 1984 to 2023, supplemented with interviews of key stakeholders. Even if Sunnyvale's system initially functioned as an exemplar of performance‐based decision‐making, it deteriorated with weakened commitment and, more importantly, sustained significant implementation costs while its benefits reduced over time. The findings illustrate three core trade‐offs for performance measurement systems: measuring what matters (the “quantity‐quality” tradeoff); ensuring continuity while allowing for adaptation (the “continuity‐flexibility” tradeoff); and ensuring accountability without having implementation detract from productivity (the “accountability‐productivity” tradeoff).
中文
绩效测量的实践与起源：评估森尼韦尔模式，1984—2023年
摘要
很少有监管改革像加利福尼亚州森尼韦尔的绩效测量体系那样备受赞誉或效仿，该体系启发了1993年《政府绩效与结果法案》以及无数其他国家和地方层面的努力。本研究首次对某一绩效测量体系进行纵向、跨项目分析，引入数字档案方法，分析1984年至2023年间35,000页文件中的152项绩效指标，并辅以对关键利益相关者的访谈。即便森尼韦尔的体系最初曾作为基于绩效的决策典范而运行，但随着承诺减弱，该体系出现退化；更重要的是，它持续承担了高昂的实施成本，而其收益却随时间递减。研究发现揭示了绩效测量体系的三个核心权衡：衡量重要事项（“数量—质量”权衡）；在允许适应的同时确保连续性（“连续性—灵活性”权衡）；以及在不让实施损害生产力的情况下确保问责（“问责—生产力”权衡）。
关键词
绩效测量、绩效管理、森尼韦尔模式、政府绩效与结果法案、数字档案方法、纵向研究、问责制、绩效权衡