Production Planning & Control· 2026Q1
Wired but not woven: a system of systems review of public-sector performance measurement and management under complexity
- 0citations
- Q1SCImago
- 2026year
Short summary
Public sector performance measurement systems (PMM) are designed for learning and plural information use, but struggle with cross-unit coordination due to weak connectivity, according to a review of 116 articles (2017-2025). Systems show strong diversity and emergence but limited interoperability.
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Key points
- Public sector PMM designs prioritize learning-oriented control and plural information use over cross-unit coordination.
- Systems exhibit strong diversity and emergence, but connectivity and interoperability are persistent weak points.
- A translation gap exists between technically enabled PMM systems and their operational integration for control.
- Autonomy in PMM is often bounded by central targets and compliance requirements.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
This study examines how Performance Measurement and Management (PMM) is designed and reported in complex public-sector settings, framing PMM as an operational planning, coordination, and control capability in multi-unit environments. Using a PRISMA-based systematic literature review, we analyse 116 Web of Science articles published between 2017 and 2025. Evidence is structured through the Context, Intervention, Mechanism and Outcome (CIMO) framework and assessed through a System of Systems (SoS) lens based on Autonomy, Belonging, Connectivity, Diversity and Emergence. Findings show that reported PMM designs more often support learning-oriented control and plural information use than routine cross-unit coordination. Diversity and Emergence are strongly represented, Belonging is substantial but often partial, and Autonomy remains bounded by central targets and compliance requirements. Connectivity is the persistent weak point: even where benchmarking and data infrastructures are reported, evidence of enacted interoperability and recurring inter-unit coupling remains limited. The study identifies a translation gap between technically enabled systems and operationally integrated control arrangements, offering a transferable SoS-informed design grammar and practical priorities for strengthening connectivity, feedback loops and adaptive improvement.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Production Planning & Control, 2026 · DOI ↗
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Field: Public Administration
Public AdministrationSocial Sciences