Introducing performance management in universities. The case of the university in Southern Italy

The aim of this paper is to identify the exogenous and endogenous conditions that may lead to specific characteristics in the processes of introducing performance management system and their success/failure. In particular an analysis was carried out on the route followed to adopt the performance management system in an University in Southern Italy, first formally and then substantively. The life-cycle approach is used to examine the various phases of adopting the performance management system: design, implementation, use, evaluation or assessment and impacts. Also considering the limits of the analysis of a single case study, the analysed case shows how the substantive adoption of the managerial changes in the public administrations is based more on cultural elements, skills and abilities, on the organizational learning, rather than on the application of rules or regulations or on the mere transposition of models and tools originating in private companies. The case study illustrates these problems and shed light on needed research.