Table II

Performance regimes

External accountability (EA) regimeInternal learning (IL) regimeProfessional regime
Goal autonomyLow, External, tied to political-bureaucratic goalsMedium, Lower-level goals and performance measures set by professionalsHigh, Goals are set by professionals, tied to professional values
IncentivesExternal, high-poweredInternal, aimed at norms, values and peer statusInternal, low-powered
AccountabilityExternal with performance focusInternal accountability embedded within an external regulative bargain and with regular dialogue between principals and agentsInternal, tied to professional norms (with a regulative bargain)
Rationale for improvementImprovements through external control and incentives; controlled motivation; learning about goal achievement but not goals (single-loop learning)Improvement through learning spurred by autonomous motivation
Learning on (lower-level) goals and goal achievement infused with values and experiences of experts (single- and double-loop learning)
Improvement through new professional expertise; autonomous motivation; learning on goals and goal achievement through professional norms and goals (single- and double-loop learning)

Source: Adapted from Jakobsen et al. (2017) 

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