'[…] the book is highly commendable for showing how what might otherwise risk being dismissed as a narrow technical issue is in fact embedded in, and of importance to, broader political systems. Making these arguments is at the core of showing why public administration is such an important area for research. Relating public administration literature to sociological and similar perspectives, which is relatively unusual, further cements the likely enduring value of the book's contribution.' Oliver James, JPART
1. Performance measurement and the production of trust; 2. The problem of political trust; 3. The double life of targets; 4. Monitoring public administration; 5. Information and trust; 6. Public trust in targets; 7. Targets and issue definition; 8. After performance measurement?