Introduction

Abstract

Performance management experienced a revolution in the 1980s, which is still in action. Several academics stressed the need for more research in the performance management field in order to put forward comprehensive frameworks, which are suitable to cope with high levels of uncertainty, as in the present economic environment. Nonetheless the empirical findings on the effectiveness of the extant performance management frameworks demonstrated that they are still partial and problematic. This Chapter introduces the concept of ‘loose coupling’ in the performance management literature and provides an overview of the contents of the book.