Focus on the finger, overlook the moon: the introduction of performance management in the administration of Italian universities

Abstract

This article investigates management systems in higher education organisations by analysing the 2009 Italian reform of performance management and its implementation within Italian universities. The research is based on a survey that covered about half of Italy’s public universities. Survey results provide an account of the state of management systems of Italian universities, confirming the assumption of their relative backwardness and the importance of specific preconditions (efficient organisation and effective control systems) for a good system of performance evaluation.