An improved evaluation method for public service efficiency from the perspective of residents′ perception

Abstract

Research on Public Service Efficiency (PSE) can provide effective clues for city governors to plan the public service provision well. Whilst extant studies have extensively explored PSE performance, they are hardly oriented to resident perception. In light of this gap, this study presents a PSE evaluation framework by considering the resident perception. The study aims to uncover the PSE performance and to examine the temporal evolution and spatial disparities in a sample of 35 representative Chinese cities. To this end, Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and the Malmquist index are applied, and the data adopted covers the period from 2012 to 2020. The demonstration findings are as follows. (1) The majority of cities in the sample were found to have efficient public services, with the Central region performing better than the Eastern and Western regions in terms of PSE. (2) The Malmquist index shows an overall decline in PSE over the surveyed period except for Chongqing and Shenzhen. (3) The Malmquist index reveals that the Eastern region exhibited the highest degree of volatility, with the Western and Central regions following closely behind. Theoretically, this study provides an effective framework for investigating PSE by taking resident perception into account. The methodology adopted in this study exemplifies how to examine PSE in considering resident perception in a broad context internationally. Practically, the evaluation results can provide valuable references for local managers to customize measures to elevate PSE performance.