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Managing performance or legitimacy? A case study of the Tanzanian Local Government Authorities

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dc.creator Abeid, Francis Gaspar
dc.creator Mkasiwa, Tausi Ally
dc.date 2020-11-11T11:23:36Z
dc.date 2020-11-11T11:23:36Z
dc.date 2015
dc.date.accessioned 2022-10-21T11:34:05Z
dc.date.available 2022-10-21T11:34:05Z
dc.identifier Gaspar, A.F. and Mkasiwa, T.A. (2015), "Managing performance or legitimacy? A case study of the Tanzanian Local Government Authorities", Journal of Accounting in Emerging Economies, Vol. 5 No. 4, pp. 424-456
dc.identifier https://doi.org/10.1108/JAEE-03-2013-0016
dc.identifier http://154.72.94.133:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/184
dc.identifier.uri http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/86209
dc.description Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate performance measurement practices in the Tanzanian Local Government Authorities (LGAs). It seeks to understand the performance measurement practices in the context of new public management (NPM) (Hood, 1991, 1995). Specifically, the paper focuses on the annual performance assessment (the local government development grant system), which operated in the Tanzanian LGAs as a base for accessing grants from the central government. Design/methodology/approach The study executed a grounded theory strategy for data collection and analysis. Fieldwork was undertaken in three Tanzanian LGAs. Findings The findings revealed how performance measurement practices were involved in the process of managing legitimacy, and consequently, in the acquisition of grants from the central government. Dialogue and learning about the performance measurement exercise and the production and manipulation of evidence were the two strategies employed by LGAs in the management of legitimacy. Practical implications In practice, efficiency in organizations may be achieved through the appropriate design of systems, and by understanding, and addressing problems which emerge during their implementation. Learning is a significant strategy used by actors, and this needs to be taken into consideration by reformers when designing and implementing reforms. Originality/value The paper contributes to existing research by providing a framework for managing legitimacy. The framework supports and extends Oliver’s (1991) typology of strategic responses to institutional processes and Suchman (1995) legitimation strategies. It identifies dialogue and learning as other forms of significant strategy in actors responses to institutional pressures. The study also provides additional evidence of the responses to the accounting changes and the NPM reforms.
dc.format application/pdf
dc.language en_US
dc.publisher Emerald Publishing Group
dc.subject Performance measurement, Tanzania, Local government authorities, NPM,Managing legitimacy
dc.title Managing performance or legitimacy? A case study of the Tanzanian Local Government Authorities
dc.type Article


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