Accountability and performance management: citizens’ willingness to monitor public officials

In recent decades, the operating mechanisms of states and societies have transformed from traditional hierarchical relationships into a more horizontal structure. In this new setting, citizens may have a critical role in monitoring public accountability. This article explores citizens’ willingness to monitor public officials’ accountability and the factors that may influence it. Using a survey distributed in Israel in 2016, the analysis indicates that citizens view these interactions in terms of collective action problems aimed at minimizing freeriding. Government policy in these areas is irrelevant to citizens’ calculations.