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Decision making in networks is multilateral and interaction‐based and is often contrasted with unilateral decision making in a hierarchy. The purpose of this paper is to examine whether unilateral interventions can nevertheless be functional in networks.

A large number of empirical studies into decision making in networks were consulted to examine whether they featured unilateral interventions and, if so, what the roles of these interventions were. Prior to this, the author outlines theories on decision making in networks and the dysfunctions of unilateral interventions.

Six strategies were found in which unilateral interventions proved effective in network‐like decision making. Unilateral action may be used to influence other actors' perceptions of the win‐win game, to change the pattern of interdependencies, as a follow‐up to failed interaction, if room is offered simultaneously, if there is a critical mass of winners and to de‐hierarchize decision making. These unilateral strategies were found to be embedded in interaction‐based, network‐like decision making. In some cases, they stimulated a process of interaction; in other cases, they resulted from a process of interaction.

The strategies show that decision making in networks benefits from the intelligent use of unilateral action.

The paper goes beyond the dichotomy between network and hierarchy and demonstrates that, on the interface of networks and hierarchies, there are many possibilities of developing strategies that – although unilateral – are network‐contingent.

The purpose of this paper is to introduce the papers in this special issue on humans, algorithms and data. The authors first set themselves the task of identifying the main challenges arising from the adoption and use of algorithms and data analytics in management, accounting and organisations in general, many of which have been described in the literature.

This paper builds on previous literature and case studies of the application of algorithm logic with artificial intelligence as an exemplar of this innovation. Furthermore, this paper is triangulated with the findings of the papers included in this special issue.

Based on prior literature and the concepts set out in the papers published in this special issue, this paper proposes a conceptual framework that can be useful both in the analysis and ordering of the algorithm hype, as well as to identify future research avenues.

The value of this framework, and that of the papers in this special issue, lies in its ability to shed new light on the (neglected) connections and relationships between algorithmic applications, such as artificial intelligence. The framework developed in this piece should stimulate scholars to explore the intersections between “technical” as well as organisational, social and individual issues that algorithms should help us tackle.

An important feature in managing road infrastructures is the growing use of performance-based contracts (PBCs) in the delivery of maintenance. The expectations are high. But there are also risks connected to PBC. The main question for road agencies is: how to achieve as much as possible of the expected advantages while limiting the possible disadvantages? The purpose of this paper is to answer that question and explore how PBC of maintenance can be improved.

Based on theoretical constructs this paper investigates the strategies of the English Highways Agency and the Dutch Rijkswaterstaat, when outsourcing the maintenance of their existing road infrastructures and the effects of their strategies.

The paper finds that road agencies should focus on the process of interaction of the main actors involved, rather than the performance measurement systems (PMS) itself. The agencies should adjust their governance to the degree of uncertainty. PBC requires an informed and knowledgeable principal.

The in-depth study is limited to two road agencies. More systematic research is needed in linking theoretical constructs with empirical evidence from more road agencies. The method applied in this paper can be used for further research.

The lessons drawn from the case studies offer potential benefits to other road authorities that use or consider PBC as their method of delivery of maintenance.

Where only few empirical studies have investigated in detail the actual achievements of PBC in road maintenance, this empirical research aims to fill that gap.

The objective of this paper is to develop a redesigned commissioning process for social care services that fosters integrated care, encourages collaboration and balances professional expertise with client engagement.

This study employs a two-pronged approach: a case study of a municipality’s use of subsidy tables and a literature scoping review on integrated care research.

The paper introduces a new framework for the study of the new “subsidy tables.” A well-defined and extensive consultation process involving both social care providers (suppliers), the Service Triad, and client representation adds to the existing research on supplier consultation, and on how to define the outcomes for clients via client engagement.

While aspects are clearly relevant to the Netherlands, the design of the commissioning process of social care has international relevance as well: finding definitions, formulating outcomes and incentives, designing a more collaborative instead of competitive process, stakeholder engagement and consultation.

Several Dutch municipalities started using the “subsidy tables” method for commissioning integrated social care. This paper offers clear improvements that benefit the commissioners, the social care providers and their clients.

Improving the commissioning process of integrated social care will lead to better fitting care for people who need social care.

This paper is one of the first to do a thorough analysis of the “subsidy tables” method for commissioning integrated social care.

Focuses on managing performance in public, professional organizations, specifically those using output steering. Asks whether these organizations can use output measurement effectively in spite of the tool’s shortcoming. Outlines the positive effects of output steering as well as the “perverse” effects and derives three mechanisms that usually manifest themselves when output steering is used. Also deals with an alternative to output: a focus on throughput. Output steering focuses on an organization’s products; throughput steering focuses on the process of generating these products. Asserts that effective performance management implies that a manager and a professional use both approaches and make a creative use of the tension between the two approaches. They constantly move to and fro between a product approach and a process approach.

Many public, professional organizations have introduced performance measurement systems in the belief that they will lead to a transparent organization, offering incentives for performance and able to account for its performance. These systems produce a large number of perverse effects, however. The article presents five successive strategies aimed at preventing these effects where possible: tolerating competing product definitions; banning a monopoly on interpreting production figures; limiting the functions of and forums for performance measurement; strategically limiting the products that can be subjected to performance measurement; and using a process perspective of performance in addition to a product perspective.

The growth of facility or facilities management as an academic discipline and a set of “real world” practices has been accompanied by continuing uncertainty as to how the field should be defined. That this issue remains a “live” one is reflected in the various academic and professional commentaries on the subject. Explores the nature of facilities management in the context of vocational education and draws parallels with the field of hospitality management which has experienced comparative debates about scope and meaning. Existing perspectives on the definition of facilities management are reviewed and examination is made as to how intellectual linkages may be established with broader issues in the development of non‐traditional fields of study. Concludes with consideration of one model for resolving the apparent tensions attendant on defining facilities management involving separation of the conceptual meaning of the terms “facility” and “facilities” from the set of practices that constitute “facilities management”.

The purpose of this paper is to explore what an academic discipline is and to apply and discuss this definition using facilities management as an example. The paper addresses an academic world that is facing the challenge of developing research and education in response to emerging disciplines and dealing with changes in the higher education system. Institutions are also confronted with the aim of the European Commission to “enhance the performance and international attractiveness of Europe's higher education”.

A structured framework with six criteria outlining an academic discipline was applied to describe the state of the art of facilities management on the basis of systematical literature research. A survey was conducted with 215 contributions from the European Facility Management Network (EuroFM) and additionally 41 Master theses and 25 scientific papers were studied to gain up-to-date insights.

This paper provides a methodical approach on how to analyse and describe emerging disciplines. In addition, an overview of the state of the art in facilities management is shown.

The methodological approach for the analysis of academic disciplines was tested using the example of FM. Before transferring the same methodology to other disciplines, researchers are advised to test and further develop the methodology for other disciplines.

This paper includes implications for the development and discussion of emerging disciplines in the academic world.

This paper contributes to a better understanding of academic disciplines and how they emerge.

The purpose of this paper is to gather research-stories, that is, the stories of the researcher themselves. The authors gather stories that situate researchers in their social, political, personal and professional contexts to learn about being a researcher in a University at this particular historical moment.

The authors’ stories began with the naive question – “What is it like to be a researcher in a University right now?”. The authors asked this question of Julie White’s (2012) “disposable academics” (p. 50); short-term and casualised staff with insecure teaching or research contracts. They asked White’s (2012, p. 48) “academic infantry” the mid-career researchers who have felt the labour intensification of recent times. They also asked senior academics, established professors with established research histories and the security (they hope) of a steady track record and a list of external grants.

The answers were not simple. They were stories of the pragmatics of managing the new academic scene; maintaining a research passion despite the pressures of new managerialism’s focus on certain forms of efficiency, external accountability and monitoring; resolving the apparent losses of autonomy, academic freedom, support, security and academic dignity. The authors heard emotional and vulnerable stories, stories of personal investment and emotionally and physically risky and dangerous encounters. The authors learnt something of the complex business of negotiating personal and professional subjectivities.

The authors heard emotional and vulnerable stories, stories of personal investment and emotionally and physically risky and dangerous encounters. They learnt something of the complex business of negotiating personal and professional subjectivities.

This paper aims to alert and to sensitize managers and those charged with oversight responsibility about the possible follies of relying too much on performance measurement as a management tool

The study is based on review and analysis of published documents and data.

Current pressure to increase transparency and accountability, on the one hand, and complementary burdens to demonstrate the efficiency and effectiveness, on the other, in order to justify future allocation of resources make the use of performance measurement very attractive. However, these forces are not enough to ensure proper use and prevention of certain pathologies.

Failing to understand the possible follies of over‐relaying on performance measurements may be dysfunctional when it comes to service of the public's best interest.

The value of this paper has to do with its double goal. First, the education of potential users of performance measurement about its potential weaknesses. Second, the prevention of overuse of performance measurements, as a staff function and overhead cost at the expense of line operations.