Abstract
Prior research documents positive effects of benchmarking information provision on performance and attributes this to social comparisons. However, the effects on professional recipients are unclear. Studies of professional control indicate that professional recipients often resist bureaucratic controls because of organizational-professional conflicts. We therefore analyze the association between bureaucratic benchmarking information provision and professional performance and suggest that the association is more positive if prior professional performance was low. We test our hypotheses based on archival, publicly disclosed, professional performance data for 191 German orthopedics departments, matched with survey data on bureaucratic benchmarking information given to chief orthopedists by the administration. We find a positive association between bureaucratic benchmarking information provision and professional performance but only if prior professional performance was low. Supplemental analyses support the robustness of our results. Findings indicate conditions under which bureaucratic benchmarking information may affect professional performance and advance research on professional control and social comparisons.
Original language | English |
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Publication date | 2016 |
Number of pages | 42 |
Publication status | Published - 2016 |
Event | The 39th Annual Congress of the European Accounting Association. 2016 - Maastricht, Netherlands Duration: 11 May 2016 → 13 May 2016 Conference number: 39 http://www.eaacongress.org |
Conference
Conference | The 39th Annual Congress of the European Accounting Association. 2016 |
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Number | 39 |
Country | Netherlands |
City | Maastricht |
Period | 11/05/2016 → 13/05/2016 |
Internet address |
Bibliographical note
CBS Library does not have access to the materialKeywords
- Professional control
- Social comparisons
- Professional performance
- Bureaucratic benchmarking information