Antecedents to municipal performance measurement implementation

Municipal performance measurement systems have been studied at length over the past three decades and have been established and used by many cities and towns. This descriptive study brings research and application together by examining in real-time two townships in New Jersey that have agreed to test uniform performance measures. The goal of the study was to identify the antecedents to successful implementation of performance measures and to define the implementation expectations of the participating municipalities engaged in testing the reliability and usability of performance measures as means to achieve their goals. The results of the study establish a baseline of expectations, goals, and processes in which the outcomes of the beta group application can be evaluated. Based on interviews with the participating town managers, it is clear that leadership support, managers with past experience using performance measures, clear expectations, a desire to learn from other townships, and the allocation of resources are the antecedents for successful implementation.