The relevance of management accounting as an instrument of change continues to be
a major focus of debate among commentators on public sector reforms. This paper
investigates the translation of a key management accounting concern – performancebased
appraisal and reward systems – in three central government organisations. Local
translations of the management accounting technology reveal distinct divergences and
achievements, with the ambiguity inherent in reforms shaped by a confluence of actors,
events and technologies. The study concludes by discussing two issues – the role of management
accounting and the intersection of rationalities and technologies with the specificities
of local settings – that help shed light on the differing outcomes within the three organisations.