Public performance management system: return of experience of the penitentiary and rehabilitation administration in Morocco[Système de pilotage de la performance publique : retour d'expérience de l'administration pénitentiaire et de la réinsertion au Maroc]

The structural reforms of the public sector, to which Morocco has committed, have prompted public administrations to gradually transition from a resource-based management model to a results- or performance-based approach. This shift is justified not only by the need to enhance service quality for users but also by the rational use of resources, ensuring the delivery of high-quality public services at a lower cost. Being part of the public sector, Morocco's penitentiary and rehabilitation administration operates within a distinct environment that demands continuous improvements in performance. Achieving these objectives requires the adoption of managerial practices designed to optimize outcomes. In this context, our research aims to critically assess performance management in this administration and explore existing practices and their limitations, drawing on the reference framework of Ferrera and Otley (2009) and applying participant observation over a specific period (David, 2010). Our analysis also drew on a wide-ranging literature review and interviews with 14 stakeholders in the field, to gain a deeper understanding of the dynamics at work. The study's findings highlight the administration's proactive, efforts to enhance performance management through the mechanisms it adopts. However, these mechanisms raise some observations regarding their consistency, complementarity, implementation, and, more broadly, their effectiveness in addressing users' actual needs and the administration's management specificities.