Limitations of Results-Based Management on the Example of the Police Force of North Rhine Westphalia

Results-based management is a key feature of the reforms of New Public Management and a well-known tool in project management as the success of a project is more than the compliance with time, budget, and quality objectives. Although the advantages of results-based management are recognized and impact orientation is successfully applied in many non-governmental organizations, public administration finds it difficult to get grip on this method. The purpose of this paper is to identify essential limitations of result-based management when applied in public administration and to validate the selected findings. Three limitations derived from literature will be analyzed: multicausality, contract management, and controlling cycle. The results are then put into the context of the police force of North-Rhine Westphalia who serves as an example of public administration in practice.