Citizen Satisfaction Research Articles

Socio‐Economic Variables That Influence Subjective Happiness. Should They Be on the Public Policy Agenda?

ABSTRACTSubjective happiness has become a social indicator determining citizens' social and personal well‐being. Therefore, this study aims to analyse the socioeconomic variables that may affect it and discuss their role in the public policy agenda. This indicator is usually used, among other issues, to determine the degree of citizen satisfaction with public policies, which in this work has been based on knowledge of subjective happiness from the processing of data through descriptive and inferential analyses of a sample of the European population obtained from the European Social Survey. These analyses conclude that factors such as family income, health, social and family relationships, and the ability to plan one's future and expectations of future development impact subjective happiness. All these factors are susceptible to being determined by public policies, and their promotion can serve as an incentive to strengthen the legitimacy of public institutions and shape a balanced and happy democratic society.

Developing a design-led evaluation model for citizen-centered public services: a South Korean case

Public services have long been evaluated based on service quality and citizen satisfaction. However, as public services are increasingly understood as being co-created within broader service ecosystems, and as “co-” practices gain prominence in the public sector, a new approach to evaluation is needed. This study proposes a preliminary design-led model for citizen-centered public service evaluation, emphasizing stakeholder participation and systemic perspectives, drawing on a Korean case. The model’s value is validated through expert opinions from public administration and design fields. Findings highlight the model’s potential to address complex service ecosystems and promote long-term change, while identifying challenges such as context-specific application and stakeholder capabilities.

Public Service Quality in Vietnam: The Role Of E-Government and Administrative Reform

Vietnam’s public administration system has undergone significant transformation in recent decades, driven by waves of administrative reform and the adoption of E-Government initiatives. These reforms aim to enhance public service quality, citizen satisfaction, and government accountability. Yet, the relationship between technological innovations and actual improvements in service quality remains complex and uneven. This paper critically examines the role of E-Government and administrative reform in shaping public service quality in Vietnam. Drawing on policy documents, national performance indices, and existing literature, it analyzes the progress made, identifies persistent challenges, and offers policy recommendations to strengthen the governance and delivery of public services in the digital era.

Identity in the Society of the 21st Century Advocating for Electronic Governance - Modern Information Society or Modernization of Information Society?

We can evaluate the quality of the state’s activities primarily through the functioning of the public administration, and if clients often feel that administrators are in a position of power, this can greatly affect the dynamics of their relationship. With the formation of communities, the range of issues that affected the entire society and the effective solution of which was felt to be everyone’s, naturally appeared. The citizen’s expectation is that administration should be simple, fast and should ensure equal treatment. The relationship between public administration and the client is very important, as the quality of public services and the satisfaction of citizens largely depend on how public administration communicates with clients. Therefore, it is important that public administration takes into account the needs and expectations of customers in every case in order to improve customer satisfaction. In parallel with the trust of the client, public administration will be efficient. Nevertheless, in today’s customer-friendly public administration the question is how well electronic administration meets the expectations and possibilities of citizens. In what way do the clerks who perform office work serve according to the possibilities available to them?

AI-Enhanced Citizen-Centric Workflows: Transforming Public Sector CRM Systems

The digital transformation of government services has fundamentally shifted the relationship between citizens and public institutions. This transformation leverages artificial intelligence-enhanced Customer Relationship Management systems to create responsive, personalized, and accessible public services that meet evolving citizens’ expectations. As citizens increasingly demand experiences comparable to those provided by private sector services, government agencies are reimagining their service delivery frameworks with citizens as the primary focus. These AI-enhanced CRM systems connect front-end citizen experiences with streamlined back-office processes through natural language processing chatbots, personalization engines, and document intelligence capabilities. The implementation of these technologies has resulted in operational efficiencies while simultaneously enhancing citizen satisfaction and increasing participation from traditionally underserved populations. Despite significant progress, challenges remain in data integration, security implementation, and algorithmic transparency. Looking forward, voice-based interfaces, federated learning approaches, and ethically-implemented personalization offer promising pathways for continued evolution. When effectively implemented, these systems demonstrate responsive, accessible governance while rebuilding trust in public institutions through improved service quality and efficiency.

Improving Survey Data Interpretation: A Novel Approach to Analyze Single-Item Ordinal Responses with Non-Response Categories

Questionnaire data plays a key role in social research, especially when evaluating public attitudes using Likert-type scales. Yet, traditional analyses often merge some ordinal categories and exclude responses such as Don’t Know, No Answer, or Refused—risking the loss of valuable information. This study introduces BS-TOSIE (Belief Structure-Based TOPSIS for Survey Item Evaluation), a novel method that preserves and integrates all response types, including ambiguous ones. By combining the Belief Structure framework with the TOPSIS (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution) method, BS-TOSIE offers a structured approach to ranking and evaluating individual survey items measured on an ordinal scale, even in the presence of missing or incomplete data. Response distributions are transformed into a belief structure vector, enabling comparison against ideal and anti-ideal benchmarks. We demonstrate this approach using data from the Quality of Life in European Cities survey to assess perceptions of local governance in European cities. This study analyzes changes in citizen satisfaction with local public administration across five key dimensions—timeliness, procedural clarity, fairness of fees, digital accessibility, and perceived corruption—in 83 European cities between 2019 and 2023. The findings reveal persistent regional disparities, with Northern and Western European cities consistently outperforming those in Southern and Eastern Europe, although some cities in Central Europe show signs of improvement. Zurich consistently received high satisfaction scores, while other cities, such as Rome and Palermo, showed lower scores. Unlike traditional methods, our approach preserves the full spectrum of responses, yielding more nuanced and interpretable insights. The results show that BS-TOSIE enhances both the clarity and depth of survey analysis, making a methodological contribution to the evaluation of ordinal data and offering empirical insights into public perceptions of local city administration.

Evaluating place-based policing in Amsterdam

Abstract Objectives Evaluate the impact of a place-based, community and problem-oriented policing intervention in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Methods This evaluation is guided by the EMMIE framework, and its methods and hypotheses are pre-registered on the OpenScienceFramework: https://osf.io/7kyr3/. The effect is estimated using a quasi-experimental, difference-in-difference design, comparing treatment areas (high-treatment, low-treatment, and catchment area) to synthetic control groups constructed from comparable neighbourhoods in Amsterdam. Outcome measures included the number of fast responses (<3 min), crime-, disorder-, traffic- and accident-related calls-for-service counts, and survey-based assessments of perceived neighbourhood disorder, fear of crime, victimisation, and citizen satisfaction with (local and general) police and the municipality. Results In line with pre-registered hypotheses, we observed a substantial decrease in crime- (RIRR = 0.77) and disorder-related calls-for-service (RIRR = 0.84) in the intervention area and a small but significant increase in fear of crime in the low-treatment area (SMD = $$-$$ - 0.11). Contrary to pre-registered hypotheses, we observed a substantial and statistically significant increase in perceived neighbourhood disorder (SMD = $$-$$ - 0.31) and decrease in citizen satisfaction with police in the neighbourhood (SMD = $$-$$ - 0.42) and citizen satisfaction with the municipality (SMD = $$-$$ - 0.47) in the high-treatment area. Over all treatment areas (referred to a full-treatment: high, low and catchment combined), the intervention only yielded a small but significant increase in fear of crime (SMD = $$-$$ - 0.07) compared to synthetic controls. Conclusions This study yielded mixed results. We observed a substantial decrease in crime- and disorder-related calls-for-service in the high-treatment area. However, observed over the full-treatment area, the reduction disappears, indicating crime displacement dynamics. Moreover, we observed worsened public perceptions in the high-treatment, low-treatment, and the catchment area, highlighting a disconnect between improved local conditions and worsened public perceptions in the high-treatment area.

E-GOVERNMENT IMPLEMENTATION AND ITS IMPACT ON PUBLIC SERVICE DELIVERY: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

This research investigates the implementation of e-government initiatives and their impact on public service delivery, with a focus on assessing challenges, identifying opportunities, and evaluating effectiveness. A mixed-methods approach was employed, including the distribution of 350 electronic questionnaires and virtual interviews with selected participants. A total of 302 responses were received, providing insights into the perceptions and experiences of stakeholders involved in e-government implementation. The findings reveal significant challenges, including organizational resistance, technological barriers, and cybersecurity threats, which hinder the successful adoption and integration of e-government solutions. Despite these challenges, participants identified opportunities for enhancing e-government implementation, such as streamlining processes, enhancing accessibility, and promoting data-driven decision-making. The research also highlights the positive impact of e-government on various aspects of public service delivery, including service accessibility, responsiveness, efficiency, and citizen satisfaction, albeit with some variability in responses. Future research should focus on exploring strategies for addressing identified challenges, further investigating the effectiveness of e-government initiatives in diverse contexts, and examining the long-term impacts of digital governance on public administration and citizen engagement.

СОВРЕМЕННЫЕ ПОДХОДЫ К ОЦЕНКЕ ЭФФЕКТИВНОСТИ УПРАВЛЕНИЯ ОБЩЕСТВЕННЫМИ ГОРОДСКИМИ И ПРИДОМОВЫМИ ТЕРРИТОРИЯМИ

The article explores the theoretical foundations for assessing the effectiveness of managing public urban and adjacent (household) territories in the context of current state policy aimed at creating a comfortable urban environment. The study is based on methods of generalization, critical analysis of scientific publications, comparison, interpretation, abstraction, and graphical and tabular visualization. The relevance of improving the management of public urban and adjacent territories is emphasized, driven by the growing role of residents in decision-making and the need to consolidate the interests of the state, business, and citizens in overcoming objectively existing disparities in the management of adjacent territories. The author proposes approaches to generalizing the understanding of the specific nature of public urban and adjacent territories, and to the relationship between the concept of the urban environment and its structural elements-territories. The scientific novelty of the study lies in clarifying the structure and content of the conceptual framework of the urban environment, proposing a systematization of its territorial elements, and substantiating the role of managing adjacent territories as a mechanism for forming a comfortable urban environment. The article reveals traditional (classical, administrative, project-based) and modern (situational, systemic, reflexive, synergistic, and others) approaches to effectiveness assessment and urban management. Key principles are identified for ensuring the effectiveness of managing public urban and adjacent territories, focusing on achieving strategic goals, efficient use of budgetary resources, and increasing citizen satisfaction. The author presents possible directions for developing the assessment of effectiveness in the management of public urban and adjacent territories, suggesting a combination of program-targeted and flexible approaches, as well as consideration of residents’ interests in the formation and development of these territories.

Gauging the Impacts of Performance Information Disclosure on Citizen Satisfaction: Quasi‐Experimental Evidence From China

ABSTRACTDespite extensive research investigating the link between government performance and citizen satisfaction, our understanding is limited regarding whether and how information disclosure affects this relationship in the digital era. This study bridges this gap by examining the interactive effects of information disclosure and performance information on citizen satisfaction. We argue that information disclosure strengthens the “performance–satisfaction” link by aligning citizens' satisfaction evaluations more closely with government performance. Using a staggered difference‐in‐differences design, we analyze individuals' environmental satisfaction from the China Livelihood Survey (2011–2017) across municipalities, while government performance is measured using satellite data and information disclosure timing is sourced from government portals. Findings indicate a consistent relationship between government performance and citizen satisfaction due to information disclosure. Further analyses reveal that this effect is mediated by citizens' information‐seeking behaviors and is particularly pronounced among informationally disadvantaged citizens. This research contributes to understanding the performance–satisfaction relationship in a digital era.

Beyond Traditional Bureaucracy: Building Agile Public Organizations in an Era of Disruption

This study examines the transformation of public organizations from traditional bureaucratic structures to agile organizational models in response to digital disruption and evolving citizen expectations. Employing a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, the research analyzed 45 public organizations across 12 administrative regions and six sectoral domains through quantitative surveys (n=127 respondents) and qualitative semi-structured interviews over a 24-month period. Results demonstrate that digital disruption serves as the primary transformation catalyst (78% of cases), with pilot-driven implementation strategies achieving significantly superior success rates (85.7%) compared to comprehensive redesign approaches (33.3%). Cross-sectoral analysis reveals substantial variation in transformation effectiveness, with service-oriented sectors (health: 89.3%, education: 87.1%) significantly outperforming traditional bureaucratic domains (regulatory: 58.7%, infrastructure: 54.2%). (F (5,39) = 12.47, p < 0.001, η² = 0.615). Post-transformation outcomes show statistically significant improvements in organizational performance, including a 45% reduction in response times and a 30% increase in citizen satisfaction scores, with large effect sizes (Cohen's d > 1.3) indicating practical significance. The findings suggest that successful agile transformation in public organizations requires adaptation rather than direct transplantation of private sector models, with sustainable change achieved through hybrid approaches that balance agile principles with democratic accountability requirements, establishing an empirical foundation for agile governance models in contemporary public administration.

Analysis of Community Satisfaction with Public Services in the Liaison Agency of North Sumatra Province

The North Sumatra Provincial Liaison Agency plays a strategic role in facilitating communication between the provincial government and the North Sumatran diaspora, particularly those residing in Jakarta. Despite recent improvements in facilities and infrastructure, challenges remain in service delivery—especially in terms of accessibility for people with disabilities and the limited accommodation capacity of the Provincial Government Mess. This study aims to evaluate the quality of public services at the Liaison Agency and identify gaps between community expectations and the services provided. Using a qualitative descriptive method, data were collected through in-depth interviews with key informants and community satisfaction surveys. The findings reveal that although some service standards have been met, there is still a significant disparity between public expectations and actual service performance. Contributing factors include underdeveloped infrastructure, insufficient digitization of services, and limited dissemination of public policies. The research highlights the urgent need for inclusive infrastructure improvements, the adoption of digital-based service models, and enhanced human resource capacity. The implications suggest that by implementing innovative and inclusive public service strategies, the North Sumatra Provincial Liaison Agency can significantly improve citizen satisfaction and strengthen its role as a bridge between the provincial government and the community.

Assessing Innovation and Performance in Public Services: Impact on Citizen Satisfaction in Local Governments

ABSTRACT This article investigates how digital innovation affect citizen satisfaction. This relationship is tested through a survey experiment with 1,030 American citizens. The primary treatment involves varying levels of digital innovation across three local services (i.e. parking management, road maintenance, and camping licensing), while different levels of service quality serve as key control and moderating variables. As expected, performance is the main driver of satisfaction. However, while innovation may increase satisfaction among early adopters who recognize its value, it does not consistently impact satisfaction independently when considering the direct or moderating role of service performance.

Citizen Satisfaction, Community Attachment, and their Engagement in Coproduction: A Survey Study in China

Existing literature has established a connection between citizens’ satisfaction with their communities and their involvement in coproduction. However, little is known about how different types of community satisfaction affect citizens’ engagement in coproduction and the role of perceived community attachment in this relationship. To address this gap, we conducted a survey study in China. Our findings indicate that, in the Chinese context, citizens’ satisfaction with community governance—defined as the quality of public services—positively correlates with their engagement in coproduction, while satisfaction with the community environment negatively impacts their involvement. Additionally, residents’ perceived community attachment positively mediates the relationship between their community satisfaction and engagement in coproduction. This study contributes to the literature by shedding light on the mechanisms that underpin citizens’ engagement in coproduction.

Strengthening Public Sector Performance: The Role of Good Governance, Leadership Style, and Service Quality in Village Government Administration

This study investigates the impact of good governance and leadership style on local government performance, with service quality serving as a mediating variable. Focusing on village administrations in Klaten Regency, the research adopts a quantitative approach with data collected from 150 respondents using structured questionnaires. The analytical method employed is path analysis through SPSS version 22. Results demonstrate that both good governance and leadership style significantly influence service quality. In turn, service quality has a substantial positive impact on government performance. Furthermore, the findings confirm that service quality partially mediates the relationship between the independent variables and performance outcomes. This implies that transparent governance practices and an adaptive leadership approach can enhance public service delivery, which ultimately improves organizational performance at the village level. The study contributes to the literature by highlighting the importance of non-financial factors, such as integrity, participation, and responsiveness, in shaping institutional effectiveness. Practical implications include the need for continuous training of village officials in governance principles and leadership development, as well as the formulation of policies that prioritize citizen satisfaction and institutional accountability. By focusing on the interplay between governance, leadership, and service quality, this research offers valuable insights for optimizing performance within decentralized government structures.

Ideological bias and satisfaction with health care services

ABSTRACT The objective of this study is to contrast the influence that ideological biases have on citizens’ satisfaction with public health care services in Spain. A data pool of 40 000 individuals surveyed in Spain between 2010 and 2017 was used. The data analysis consisted of two multilevel linear regression models. The variable of interest was ideological distance, which was considered linearly and absolutely to quantify the difference between an individual’s ideology and that of their regional government. Greater ideological distance is associated with lower citizen satisfaction (0.053, p < 0.001; −0.040, p < 0.05). This variable can condition individual satisfaction by up to 1/6 of variability. Citizens’ responses appear to be affected by ideological biases when evaluating their satisfaction with health care services.

The Impact of Government Emotion-based Response Strategies on Citizens' Satisfaction

Government responsiveness is a critical component in citizen-government interactions, shaping public trust and the effectiveness of e-governance initiatives. However, resource constraints often lead to strategic responses aimed at managing citizens’ emotions and avoiding conflicts, rather than resolving all issues. Despite this, few studies have examined government response strategies and their impact on citizen satisfaction. This study examines the impact of emotion-based responses on citizen satisfaction within the context of China’s e-governance initiatives. Utilizing data from the Chinese People’s Daily ”Message Board for Leaders” platform, we introduce the Emotion-based Responsiveness Framework in Government Communication, which quantifies government responses along four dimensions: positivity, empathy, reassurance, and personalization. We first use text analysis to identify linguistic patterns and emotional cues in government replies. Then, we apply few-shot learning via the ChatGPT API to infer dimension scores across the dataset. Lastly, we test whether government’s emotion-based responses will affect citizen’s overall satisfaction. The result shows that the emotion-based response will positively affect citizens’ satisfaction. The study contributes to e-governance literature by providing empirical evidence on the effectiveness of emotional communication strategies in digital government-citizen interactions. These insights have important implications for theory development in public administration and offer practical guidance for improving government communication strategies in the digital age, especially in situations where complete problem resolution may not be feasible.

Service Innovation through PANAH SRIKANDI: Realizing Good Governance in Integrated Village Population Administration Registration Services

Population administration services are crucial to good governance, requiring efficiency, accountability, and transparency. To address these needs, the Bojonegoro Regency government introduced an innovation called PANAH SRIKANDI (“Pelayanan Ramah Sistem Registrasi Administrasi Kependudukan Desa Integrasi”). This innovation integrates the population registration process at the village level through a user-friendly digital system. This study aims to analyze the implementation and impact of the PANAH SRIKANDI innovation on good governance practices at the Bojonegoro Regency Population and Civil Registration Office. The research used a qualitative case study approach. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with policymakers and service officers, participatory field observations, and program documentation. Findings show that implementing PANAH SRIKANDI improves the effectiveness and efficiency of population administration services. Due to streamlined procedures and a user-friendly interface, the public finds obtaining documents like e-ID cards and family cards easier. This directly increases citizen satisfaction with these services. Village involvement in the system also speeds up resident data verification. The innovation also strengthens service transparency and accountability and encourages active community participation. However, challenges remain, such as training village staff and improving IT infrastructure. In conclusion, PANAH SRIKANDI significantly supports sound governance principles in Bojonegoro's public population administration services. These findings enrich the theoretical discourse on integrated public service innovation at the local level. They have practical implications, serving as a model that other regional governments can replicate in similar contexts.

Citizen Satisfaction with ICT Oriented Policing in Nairobi City County - Kenya

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) applications play a crucial role in decision support mechanisms within institutions, notably in law enforcement like the police. Globally, the integration of ICT has significantly enhanced the effectiveness and efficiency of policing, as seen in various countries such as the United Kingdom, USA, Sweden, and Jamaica among others. In Kenya, the National Police Service has embraced ICT systems, such as the Information Command and Control Centre and mobile applications like Hello Kenyan to improve crime prevention and service delivery. Despite these advancements, there is limited understanding of the impact of ICT adoption on citizen satisfaction with police services. Thus, this study assessed the factors mediating citizen satisfaction with ICT usage by the Kenya Police Service in Nairobi County. The study was guided by Parasuraman Zeithmal’s SERVQUAL Performance Only Model. It adopted an explanatory survey design to conduct the research in the cosmopolitan setting of Nairobi City County, Kenya. The targeted population were adult residents who had interacted with police services via ICT within the past year. Purposive sampling method was used to select 200 individuals out of which a sample of 132 was selected by simple random sampling. Data was collected by structured questionnaires and key informant interviews. Quantitative data was analysed using statistical techniques, while qualitative data underwent thematic analysis. The research established that the residents actively engaged the police on social media platforms, but usage of emergency line systems and online reporting portals was low due to accessibility challenges. The participants were satisfied with the Digital Crime Reporting System, but not response time duration. They were also positive on ICT accessibility and reliability. The study recommends the need for prompt responses to online crime reports and data security enhancements to boost citizen satisfaction.

Методология обеспечения транспортной автомобильной инфраструктуры объектами дорожного сервиса в контексте формирования многофункциональных зон

The existing system of management of real estate of highways, including land use in the right-of-way, requires improvement within the framework of the implementation of the Transport Strategy of the country. Search for new ways to improve the quality of use of highways, satisfaction of citizens from the provided transport and related services. Of particular interest is the provision of highways with road service facilities. The authors have identified the main trends and directions of development of road service facilities taking into account the principle of complexity and consistency. In this regard, the prospects of research in the field of formation of multifunctional zones in the right-of-way, within the boundaries of which road service facilities can be located, are substantiated and confirmed. At the same time, it is necessary to establish special conditions for construction, use of territories by potential investors, and establishment of special standards. The authors determine some features of these zones, consider in detail the methodology for their establishment and provision of land plots to potential investors. The directions of development of road infrastructure considered by the authors will allow creating conditions for the development of high-quality road service on public highways of federal significance.