This article examines whether and how judgments made by individual organizational actors may be influenced by institutional logics-the historical patterns of cultural symbols and material practices, including assumptions, values, and beliefs, by which individuals and organizations provide meaning to their daily activity, organize time and space, and reproduce their lives and experiences. Using an experimental design, the authors prime three institutional logics in three independent groups of managers (n = 98) and assess the influence of the primes on individual-level judgment preferences. The results show that such priming affects participants' judgments in an ambiguous judgmental task, with each prime influencing judgment in a discernibly unique pattern. Consequently, a more nuanced account of larger patterns of behavior can be constructed. The findings highlight the potential of text as priming stimuli within institutionally complex work settings such as those in the public sector, an important yet underexamined issue. Evidence for Practice• Managers should recognize that their perceptions and judgments may be influenced by institutional logics, which, in turn, may be primed by incidental features in their decision environments. • The work environment may perpetuate certain approaches in the public sector based on the type of stimuli that decision makers are (continually) exposed to. These effects, though subtle and nonconscious, may explain the pervasiveness of certain logics. • Text, and how it is used in organizational communication, may by design or otherwise influence organizational actor perception or receptivity to the object of the communication. Tamyko Ysa is full professor in the Department of Strategy and General Management at ESADE, Ramon Llull University, Spain. Her current research interests are the management of partnerships and their impact on the creation of public value; the design, implementation, and evaluation of public policies; and the relationship between companies and governments.English proficiency test scrambled sentence code: 1A. INSTRUCTIONS: Create a sensible phrase using only 4 words (or word pair combinations), as separated by commas, in each of the following 5-word (or word pair combination) sets. For example: cold, so, it, outside, was may be rewritten as it was so cold or it was cold outside. Take as much time as you need but please try not to exceed 10 minutes.

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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of shared cognitive frames, in particular, that of institutional logics, on the deployment and use of performance measurement systems (PMSs) in the public sector. Design/methodology/approach Using novel priming techniques derived from behavioral and social psychology, three institutional logics – the public, market-managerial and professional logics – are differentially surfaced in three independent experimental groups. The influence of these primed institutional logics on performance measurement use preferences are then empirically assessed using appropriate analysis of variance techniques. Findings Contrary to theoretical predictions, the paper reveals logic congruence regarding some uses of PMSs in the public sector, and divergence regarding others. Individuals applying a public logic were more likely to propose performance measurement use for strategic planning or strategic alignment; while those applying a professional logic were more likely to propose performance measurement use for learning, compared to otherwise primed individuals. Research limitations/implications Considering the sample size and the novelty of the priming tools, it is feasible that other potentially significant effects may have been missed. Originality/value The paper addresses a gap in literature regarding the influence of shared cognitive frames on performance measurement use in public sector organizations. The paper further presents priming techniques embedded within an experimental design as an appropriate method for the micro-level study of attitudes, preferences and judgments in the public sector.