Why Elephants Gallop: Assessing and Predicting Organizational Performance in Federal Agencies

In: Journal of public administration research and theory, Band 10, Heft 4, S. 685-711

Abstract

Hal G. Rainey & Paula Steinbauer (1999) recently proposed a theory of effective government organizations. Several other theories exist in whole or in part, but empirical testing is rare. In this article we cut to the chase & examine several key elements of these theories empirically. First, we explore the theoretical dimensions of organizational performance & derive a taxonomy to help measure the construct. Second, we draw from the literature & develop a model predicting organizational performance. Third, we operationalize & test the model with data from the 1996 Merit Principles Survey, US Merit Systems Protection Board. In the end, this model explains 70% of the variation in employee perceptions of organizational performance across the 23 largest federal agencies. Most hypothesized relationships are confirmed. We conclude the article with a discussion of implications, limitations, & suggestions for future research. 5 Exhibits, 102 References. Adapted from the source document.