Abstract

This research report is based on a study on analysis of the effectiveness of Performance Management System (PMS) in the delivery of public services in local authorities (LA) in Malawi. The study was motivated by the fact that the Malawi Government introduced PMS in LAs in 2008 and there were indications that no research had been conducted to analyse the effectiveness of the system in the delivery of public services. The main question was: how effective is the PMS in the delivery of public services in LAs in Malawi? The study used a case study design and was conducted in Blantyre and Mzuzu City Councils, and Salima and Zomba District Councils in Malawi from February, 2018 to April, 2018. It also employed triangulation by going beyond the sampled LAs to include the Department of Human Resource Management and Development, the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, the Local Government Service Commission and the Performance Enforcement Department under the Office of the President and Cabinet. Questionnaires, interview guide, focus group discussion guide and document review were used to collect data. The main finding was that PMS was not effective in the delivery of public services in LAs because it was partially and or not implemented. Other findings were that while PMS was founded on strong legal framework, adherence and or enforcement was lacking; lower level LA employees were not targeted; and respondents and participants’ perceptions towards PMS were mixed. Factors that hinder implementation of PMS in the LAs included lack of leadership commitment and ownership of the PMS in the LAs; inadequate human resource capacity; inadequate financial resource; and lack of monitoring and evaluation system. The conclusion is that PMS is not well institutionalised and implemented in LAs under study and therefore, not effective in the delivery of public services. The study recommends that LAs under study and central government should take into consideration the suggestions made to ensure effective institutionalisation and implementation of PMS. A study could be conducted to analyse the extent to which PMS is effective in the delivery of public services in all the LAs in Malawi. Further, a n assessment on knowledge and skills of LAs top leadership and management that can improve effectiveness of PMS implementation and its impact should be conducted.

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School	: School of Law, Economics and Government
Issued Date	: 2019

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