Abstract
This is a comparative study of performance management systems (PMSs) for City of Harare (Harare Municipality) and City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality (JHB Metropolitan Municipality), which are the largest cities in Zimbabwe and South Africa respectively. The two municipalities are similar in that they have both embraced the concept of a PMS, and are still going through the process of perfecting the implementation. However, they differ in that Harare Municipality uses resultsbased management (RBM) and Johannesburg Municipality uses a balanced scorecard (BSC) to manage employee performance. Although both systems are being used in a municipal context, they have different strengths and weaknesses, providing an opportunity to learn through a comparison of the cases. Due to the challenges associated with comparing organisations in different contexts, the study did not seek to make recommendations for best practice, but to inform policy for implementing PMSs. The researcher, as an HR practitioner at a municipality, had the desire to find solutions to current challenges related to PMSs. The current case study followed a qualitative approach. Research participants were designated by use of the purposive sampling, in addition to data gathered from archival records. Data were analysed iteratively using ATLAS.ti. Harare Municipality and Johannesburg Municipality share common encounters, namely, performance culture, failure to involve employees, poor use of digital technology, and weak rewards management. However, both municipalities‘ PMSs have yielded positive results. Harare Municipality‘s RBM improved, as did its culture of measuring performance, knowledge of stakeholder needs, budgeting system, the culture of achieving results, and societal impacts. Johannesburg Municipality‘s BSC results improved, as did strategic planning, balanced performance measures, the PMS legislative framework, and employee commitment. However, at Harare Municipality, the PMS is affected by a lack of a legislative framework for the PMS, poor monitoring and evaluation, an inappropriate governance structure, poor employee buy-in, and financial constraints. At iii Johannesburg Municipality, the PMS is affected by poor communication of strategy, poor BSC training, lack of teamwork, over-emphasis on the financial measures at the expense of non-financial measures, and weak stakeholder consultation.
Ph.D. (Human Resources Management)