Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the need for managers of public universities to pay attention to performance management practices and information communication technology (ICT) adoption in order to achieve successful managed performance. Design/methodology/approach: Using a disproportionate stratified purposive approach, a sample of 900 employees was drawn from four public universities in Uganda. Findings: The results revealed that performance management practices that are vested in agency relations and goal setting with ICT adoption are necessary in the achievement of managed performance in public universities. Practical implications: Building a positive employer-employee relationship and involving employees in setting goals and targets is crucial for successful management of organisations. ICT adoption will further facilitate service quality, service delivery and cost reduction. Originality/value: This paper calls for a new approach to managing employees in public universities in developing countries and Uganda in particular. (Contains 1 figure and 8 tables.)