Differences in the Performance of Public Organisations in Ghana: Implications for Public‐Sector Reform Policy

This article uses survey data from Ghana to examine whether there are significant differences in the characteristics of poor and well performing public organisations, and finds that they differ in two respects: remuneration and hiring criteria. It argues that transforming those that perform poorly is, however, more complex than simply addressing these differences: it requires fundamental changes in the cultures of organisations. Recommendations are made for designing comprehensive public‐sector reform strategies that focus on both the enabling environment and achieving cultural change in specific organisations, avoiding a one‐size‐fits‐all approach.