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Accountability -- are We Better off Without It?

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  • Christoph Ossege

Abstract

Public managers increasingly lament about negative effects of accountability. Despite these reports and the importance of accountability in public organizations, it is yet unknown when it has positive or negative effects on managers. Overcoming two major obstacles in accountability research, this study therefore investigates ‘how accountability affects public manager's work behaviour’. Firstly, this study applies a cognitive theory offering a promising way out of the current theoretical dead-end. Secondly, the quasi-experimental research design makes the complex concept of accountability more tangible and findings transferable to practice. Moreover, individual level characteristics such as motivation are used to investigate a potential interaction between contingency and individual level characteristics. Results indicate both positive and negative effects of accountability on work behaviour and hence strongly challenge the positive normative connotation of accountability.

Suggested Citation

  • Christoph Ossege, 2012. "Accountability -- are We Better off Without It?," Public Management Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(5), pages 585-607, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:pubmgr:v:14:y:2012:i:5:p:585-607
    DOI: 10.1080/14719037.2011.642567
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    Cited by:

    1. Raphael Zumofen, 2016. "Public accountability: a summary analysis [Accountability publique - Une analyse synthétique]," Post-Print hal-03623871, HAL.
    2. Tim Rosengart & Bernhard Hirsch & Christian Nitzl, 2019. "The effects of legal versus business education on decision making in public administrations with a Weberian tradition," Business Research, Springer;German Academic Association for Business Research, vol. 12(2), pages 455-478, December.
    3. Carl Deschamps, 2019. "Stages of management control in a large public organization: from top to frontline managers," Journal of Management Control: Zeitschrift für Planung und Unternehmenssteuerung, Springer, vol. 30(2), pages 153-184, July.

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