ABSTRACT
Clearly, the long-running saga of managerial reform in government is still able to sustain audience interest; even if, just like all good soap operas, the same plots (and characters) seem to reappear at regular intervals. It is time now to take a closer look at some of the underlying themes that make up the plot; to analyse the conceptual significance of the story. If the first chapter is regarded as a history of the movement of managerial reform-an account of events-then this chapter offers a review of the arguments spawned by these developments. But it is not simply a history of ideas. It also sets out our approach to the comparative study of performance measurement in public and private organisations. The tone is deliberately speculative: our approach does not provide all the answers, rather it provides a helpful way into a more informed discussion about complex issues that have perplexed public managers for more than two decades.
