Understanding Accountability Overload: Concept and Consequences in Public Sector Organizations

Abstract

Public administration emphasizes accountability to various entities, including elected representatives, courts, oversight agencies, civil society, and citizens. However, the constant addition of accountability measures may lead to overload, negatively impacting public sector employees and undermining the accountability system. This article conducts a systematic literature review on accountability overload (AO), focusing on Public Administration journals in the Social Science Citation Index (SSCI) of the Web of Science database (1900–2021). Findings reveal that the study on AO is still in its early stages, lacking consensus on terminology and a universal definition. The article concludes by proposing a workable definition for AO and highlighting research needs.