Strategies and Performance Management in Public Administrations
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
The course aims to provide, from an economic-business perspective, elements for the formulation of corporate policies and strategies, also in relation to their implementation and resource allocation. The course focuses on the main methods and tools for examining evaluation and control systems in public administrations. In particular, some of the main types of control and evaluation in the Italian public administrations will be examined. Furthermore, the organizational and managerial implications related to the functioning of evaluation and control systems in public companies will be analyzed.
Expected learning outcomes
At the end of the course, students will be able to: i) know the elements of strategic planning and the strategy formulation process; ii) identify and interpret the evaluation systems currently in use in the Italian public administrations, their evolution and the reasons for their failure; iii) distinguish and analyse, from a systemic perspective, the load-bearing dimensions of a planning, evaluation and control system; iv) examine, from an economic-business perspective, the functioning of an evaluation and control system in the public sphere; v) analyse the main determinants of the implementation gap (with reference to strategic planning) and improper phenomena/distorting factors of control and evaluation systems.
Lesson period: Third trimester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Third trimester
Course syllabus
The following topics will be addressed during the course:
- formulation of corporate policies and strategies in relation to public administrations and the public company system;
- main types of control and evaluation in the Italian public administrations;
- main dimensions of an evaluation and control system;
- main organisational and management implications related to the functioning of planning, evaluation and control systems in public administrations
- formulation of corporate policies and strategies in relation to public administrations and the public company system;
- main types of control and evaluation in the Italian public administrations;
- main dimensions of an evaluation and control system;
- main organisational and management implications related to the functioning of planning, evaluation and control systems in public administrations
Prerequisites for admission
Knowledge of business administration elements related to public administrations, or notions of public management, is required.
Teaching methods
[15:06] Corrado Nobili
The course includes lectures and case study discussion activities in order to strengthen the ability to apply knowledge.
The course includes lectures and case study discussion activities in order to strengthen the ability to apply knowledge.
Teaching Resources
- Cepiku, D. (2018). Strategia e performance nelle amministrazioni pubbliche. EGEA.
Method
- Rebora, G. (2007). Una traccia per l'analisi dei sistemi di controllo in diversi contesti aziendali. In Rebora, G. (a cura di) La crisi dei controlli: imprese e istituzioni a confronto (pp. 15-22). Milano: Pearson Education Italia.
- Pollitt C. (2009). Bureaucracies Remember, Post-bureaucratic Organizations Forget?, Public Administration, 87(2), 198-218.
Control experience
- Mezzera, A. e Turri, M. (2008). Il controllo successivo sulla gestione promosso dalla Corte dei conti. In Governare e programmare: l'azienda pubblica tra innovazione e sviluppo al servizio del cittadino e del paese: 3° workshop nazionale di Azienda pubblica.
- Barbato, G. e Turri M. (2015) Il pluralismo teorico per esaminare la valutazione della performance nei ministeri italiani. Liuc Papers, Numero 284.
- Barbato G., Salvadori, A. e Turri, M. (2018). There's a lid for every pot! The relationship between performance measurement and administrative activities in Italian ministries. Cogent Business & Management, 5: 1527965.
Failure of controls
- Minelli E., Rebora, G. e Turri M. (2009). Why do controls fail? Results of an Italian survey, Critical Perspectives on Accounting, (20), 933-943.
Method
- Rebora, G. (2007). Una traccia per l'analisi dei sistemi di controllo in diversi contesti aziendali. In Rebora, G. (a cura di) La crisi dei controlli: imprese e istituzioni a confronto (pp. 15-22). Milano: Pearson Education Italia.
- Pollitt C. (2009). Bureaucracies Remember, Post-bureaucratic Organizations Forget?, Public Administration, 87(2), 198-218.
Control experience
- Mezzera, A. e Turri, M. (2008). Il controllo successivo sulla gestione promosso dalla Corte dei conti. In Governare e programmare: l'azienda pubblica tra innovazione e sviluppo al servizio del cittadino e del paese: 3° workshop nazionale di Azienda pubblica.
- Barbato, G. e Turri M. (2015) Il pluralismo teorico per esaminare la valutazione della performance nei ministeri italiani. Liuc Papers, Numero 284.
- Barbato G., Salvadori, A. e Turri, M. (2018). There's a lid for every pot! The relationship between performance measurement and administrative activities in Italian ministries. Cogent Business & Management, 5: 1527965.
Failure of controls
- Minelli E., Rebora, G. e Turri M. (2009). Why do controls fail? Results of an Italian survey, Critical Perspectives on Accounting, (20), 933-943.
Assessment methods and Criteria
[15:03] Corrado Nobili
Examination for attending students
It is only possible to sit the exam as an attending student at the end of the course (by July 2025).
The examination will be oral and will focus on the topics covered in the course; there will also be the presentation and discussion of an in-depth study agreed and approved by the lecturer, strictly at the beginning of the course, concerning the analysis of a planning, evaluation and control system.
The oral test, in particular, will be designed to ascertain:
- the achievement of the objectives in terms of knowledge and understanding in relation to the syllabus;
- the ability to apply knowledge and understanding through the discussion of case studies relating to specific companies and public administrations;
- the autonomy of judgement, also through the analysis of case studies discussed during the course;
- the use of specific language relating to the economic operation of public companies and administrations and the ability to present the arguments in a clear and orderly manner.
The presentation and discussion of the in-depth study aims to verify the ability to apply the knowledge, understand the dynamics of its implementation, verify the ability to integrate the knowledge and draw conclusions on the basis of the data collected by developing autonomous analyses and reflections.
Examination for non-attending students
The examination will be in written form and organized as follows:
- up to three questions (open questions) to ascertain the achievement of the objectives in terms of knowledge and understanding of the programme content;
- one or more questions to ascertain the knowledge and ability of applied understanding (e.g. interpreting a planning, evaluation and control system and possible implementation possibilities/improper effects); this question also allows the ability of autonomous judgement to be tested.
The examination is also aimed at understanding written communication skills, especially in relation to the use of specific language relating to the economic-business operation of public administrations.
[15:05] Corrado Nobili
Regarding the grading scale (the scale with which grades will be assigned):
A. Scores in the 18-22 range will be assigned in the presence of:
sufficient knowledge and applied understanding in relation to the program;
limited ability to gather and/or interpret data, formulate independent judgments;
adequate communication skills, especially regarding the use of the specific language related to the economic functioning of companies.
B. Scores in the 23-26 range will be assigned in the presence of:
fair knowledge and applied understanding in relation to the program;
moderate ability to gather and/or interpret data, formulate independent judgments;
satisfactory communication skills, especially regarding the use of the specific language related to the economic functioning of companies.
C. Scores in the 27-30 range will be assigned in the presence of:
good or excellent knowledge and applied understanding in relation to the program;
good or excellent ability to gather and/or interpret data, formulate independent judgments;
fully appropriate communication skills, especially regarding the use of the specific language related to the economic functioning of companies.
D. Honors will be awarded in the presence of excellent knowledge and applied understanding in relation to the program, judgment skills, and excellent communication abilities.
Examination for attending students
It is only possible to sit the exam as an attending student at the end of the course (by July 2025).
The examination will be oral and will focus on the topics covered in the course; there will also be the presentation and discussion of an in-depth study agreed and approved by the lecturer, strictly at the beginning of the course, concerning the analysis of a planning, evaluation and control system.
The oral test, in particular, will be designed to ascertain:
- the achievement of the objectives in terms of knowledge and understanding in relation to the syllabus;
- the ability to apply knowledge and understanding through the discussion of case studies relating to specific companies and public administrations;
- the autonomy of judgement, also through the analysis of case studies discussed during the course;
- the use of specific language relating to the economic operation of public companies and administrations and the ability to present the arguments in a clear and orderly manner.
The presentation and discussion of the in-depth study aims to verify the ability to apply the knowledge, understand the dynamics of its implementation, verify the ability to integrate the knowledge and draw conclusions on the basis of the data collected by developing autonomous analyses and reflections.
Examination for non-attending students
The examination will be in written form and organized as follows:
- up to three questions (open questions) to ascertain the achievement of the objectives in terms of knowledge and understanding of the programme content;
- one or more questions to ascertain the knowledge and ability of applied understanding (e.g. interpreting a planning, evaluation and control system and possible implementation possibilities/improper effects); this question also allows the ability of autonomous judgement to be tested.
The examination is also aimed at understanding written communication skills, especially in relation to the use of specific language relating to the economic-business operation of public administrations.
[15:05] Corrado Nobili
Regarding the grading scale (the scale with which grades will be assigned):
A. Scores in the 18-22 range will be assigned in the presence of:
sufficient knowledge and applied understanding in relation to the program;
limited ability to gather and/or interpret data, formulate independent judgments;
adequate communication skills, especially regarding the use of the specific language related to the economic functioning of companies.
B. Scores in the 23-26 range will be assigned in the presence of:
fair knowledge and applied understanding in relation to the program;
moderate ability to gather and/or interpret data, formulate independent judgments;
satisfactory communication skills, especially regarding the use of the specific language related to the economic functioning of companies.
C. Scores in the 27-30 range will be assigned in the presence of:
good or excellent knowledge and applied understanding in relation to the program;
good or excellent ability to gather and/or interpret data, formulate independent judgments;
fully appropriate communication skills, especially regarding the use of the specific language related to the economic functioning of companies.
D. Honors will be awarded in the presence of excellent knowledge and applied understanding in relation to the program, judgment skills, and excellent communication abilities.
SECS-P/07 - BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION AND ACCOUNTING STUDIES - University credits: 6
Lessons: 40 hours
Professor:
Turri Matteo
Professor(s)