Management. (From the Library).(Public Management, May 2002, pp. 6-10)

"Management Audits: Passe, or a Useful Quality Improvement Tool?"

Dana Hield Whitson and Douglas K. Clark

Public Management, May 2002, pp. 6-10.

The mere mention of the term "management audit" (also referred to as a performance audit, organizational review, or quality improvement study) is sometimes enough to motivate public employees to update their resumes for fear of an indictment of their work. Although management audits have assumed a negative connotation in some circles, they can be a useful tool for improvement if approached with the right attitude. In this insightful article, a city manager and a management consultant provide two different yet complementary perspectives on how to make the most of a management audit. Perhaps the most critical success factor is planning. By carefully organizing, introducing, conducting, and presenting the review, managers can alleviate the fears of employees and encourage them to freely provide the kind of information needed to arrive at accurate conclusions. Management can further reduce anxiety by establishing a systematic process whereby all departments are periodically reviewed--not just those perceived to b e underperforming. Governments need to allow auditors or ...