The characteristics of performance management research

Seeks to explore the characteristics of organisational performance management with a view to speculating on the way the development of this emerging academic sub‐discipline might evolve. Identifies just what the nature of a research contribution to the field of performance management might be by briefly reviewing the nature of management as a discipline and how performance management might be located within this context. Performance management is located within two main dimensions: cognitive, and those relating to social organisation as proposed by Becher and Gibbons et al. The methodology compares the field of performance management with analysis that has already been undertaken in an attempt to analyse management as discipline. Analysis shows that research in the performance management field, unlike other more mainstream management research, is likely to be “hard” and “applied” (on the main cognitive dimensions – Becher) and convergent and urban (on the main dimensions in relation to its social organisation – Gibbons). Conclusions are discussed in detail.