Service Quality In Public Sector Research Articles

EXPLORING THE ROLE OF LEADERSHIP AND ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE IN ENHACING PUBLIC SECTOR INNOVATION IN MEDAN: AN SEM-PLS STUDY

The purpose of this study is to find out and analyze the extent to which leadership variables and organizational culture affect the quality of public sector services through increasing public sector innovation as an intervening variable. The subject of this study is the population of Medan City, where the variables in this study are independent variables, namely leadership and organizational culture, dependent variables, namely public sector service quality variables, and intervening variables are variables that increase public sector innovation. The results of data analysis were carried out by SEM analysis using SMART PLS 4.0 software. The data collection technique is by observation and documentation studies. The research method uses a quantitative descriptive method of data analysis using the structural equation model (SEM) method, where the results of data processing using the SEM method are carried out with the PLS 4.0 application. From the results of the study, the existing conclusion is that partially, leadership variables and organizational culture affect the quality of public sector services and affect the improvement of public sector innovation. Simultaneously, leadership and organizational culture affect the quality of public sector services through the variable of increasing public sector innovation as an intervening variable. The more leadership serves, the more innovation will grow in public sector services which will eventually change the organizational culture that tends to be flexible and serve which makes the quality of public sector services improve its performance.

Examining Citizens’ Expectations and Perceptions About Service Quality in Public Sector: Adapting a Hybrid Public Service Quality Model to the Local Context

ABSTRACT The empirical study examines citizens’ expectations and perceptions about service quality in three major public institutions. The article adopts a quantitative approach. Citizens’ expectations and perceptions about service quality in the context of public institutions were examined through a questionnaire, utilizing a hybrid model of SERVQUAL with private and public service quality dimensions. The article presents the results of a quantitative study (sample of 310 citizens), distributed across three public institutions, illustrating factor, gap, paired correlation and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) of survey data. For factor extraction, rotation and interpretation, the Oblimin rotation technique was used, determining inter-correlation among the public service quality factors. As for ANOVA analysis, Levene’s test was used to verify the homogeneity of variance assumption (the variance in scores for each group of customers). The findings of the study suggest the re-distribution of components under the refined service quality factors. Different items of initial service quality dimensions are rotated under newly created factors. Gap analysis reveals no variations in terms of citizens’ expectations across public institutions, but suggests significant differences among public entities in regard to perceptions of services acquired. Adapted Hybrid Public Service Quality model will assist public institutions in developing and tailoring service quality management systems to citizens’ needs. This is the first attempt to carry out a quantitative approach to researching Service Quality in public institutions. The primary contribution of the study is that it has tested a hybrid model for measuring perceived public service quality, integrating service quality dimensions both from public and private sectors and proposed a refined model fit for the local context considering citizens’ characteristics and the current state of the public sector experiencing a shift toward modernization of services.

Advancing universal health coverage in the COVID-19 era: an assessment of public health services technical efficiency and applied cost allocation in Cambodia

BackgroundAchieving universal health coverage (UHC) is a global priority and a keystone element of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. However, COVID-19 is causing serious impacts on tax revenue and many countries are facing constraints to new investment in health. To advance UHC progress, countries can also focus on improving health system technical efficiency to maximize the service outputs given the current health financing levels.MethodsThis study assesses Cambodia’s public health services technical efficiency, unit costs, and utilization rates to quantify the extent to which current health financing can accommodate the expansion of social health protection coverage. This study employs Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), truncated regression, and pioneers the application of DEA Aumann-Shapley applied cost allocation to the health sector, enabling unit cost estimation for the major social health insurance payment categories.ResultsOverall, for the public health system to be fully efficient output would need to increase by 34 and 73% for hospitals and health centers, respectively. We find public sector service quality, private sector providers, and non-discretionary financing to be statistically significant factors affecting technical efficiency. We estimate there is potential supply-side ‘service space’ to expand population coverage to an additional 4.69 million social health insurance beneficiaries with existing financing if the public health system were fully efficient.ConclusionsPublic health service efficiency in Cambodia can be improved by increasing utilization of cost-effective services. This can be achieved by enrolling more beneficiaries into the social health insurance schemes with current supply-side financing levels. Other factors that can lead to increased efficiency are improving health service quality, regulating private sector providers, focusing on discretionary health financing, and incentivizing a referral system.

Analysis of the Welfare Sphere Branches in Belarus: the Lessons are to be Learned

The topic of welfare sector development in Belarus nowadays is of huge interest since by means of the welfare development level it is possible to judge the level of the country’s economic system and the quality of public sector services as well. In recent years, especially in times of recession, the welfare sector positions in Belarus have been considerably weakened. This is partly explained by the aspiration to keep the old Soviet designs in the welfare system construction. At the same time, when national and subnational budgets are planned, governments try to hold with great difficulty the budgetary indicators of the welfare sphere at the level of last years. Such attempts, however, lead to the saving of budgetary funds only and they influence the deterioration of the welfare quality. The present paper pursues the aim to show: (i) what tendencies of social budgetary policy can be observed in the time of economic recession, (ii) how consistent was the welfare orientation of the central and local budgets in practice, and (iii) prospect ways for the welfare sector financing and what new financial tools and mechanisms are to be introduced. In the paper, methodology is linked with the suggested approach to evaluate the authority’s fiscal efforts in welfare branches development using the elasticity coefficient in which exists the correlation between expenditure on welfare sphere branches and total budget revenues. By inserting the authority’s financial reports data into the elasticity coefficient there is an opportunity to assess the authority’s fiscal efforts in welfare policy. The main methodology background is based on financial reports of the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Belarus and on-line databases present in the public finance area. The author considers the Belarusian welfare branches in national and subnational budgets, their structure, dynamics and other important indicators. A comparative analysis of the welfare sector branches with other European countries is submitted. The paper highlights the inconsistent policy of the Belarusian authorities in the sphere of the welfare branches’ funding. Also, there are considered debatable issues of the welfare sphere finance reformation in Belarus during the economic crisis.

Analyzing the Impact of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) on Restructuring of Public Service in Nigeria.

The purpose of this paper is to examines the impact of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) on restructuring of public service in Nigeria. The globalization policy assert that the public service of the developing countries must be restructured to comply with new technology i.e. the information and communication technology for efficiency and productivity. This is to say that the public servants must have a basic knowledge of ICT usage in their organization or otherwise they will lose their job and replace with high skilled employees. This study conducted systematic review of relevant literature on ICT and public service restructuring and come up with methodological result. The findings show that the idea of new public management (NPM) was introduced. This give emphasis on engagement of highly skilled workers that are ICT compliant will be retained into the public service to replace low skilled and manual employees. Finally, the paper recommends the need to improve service quality in public sector through the training and retraining of employees in line with new technology.

Comparison of Public Sector Service Quality

This study aims to obtain information, information, and data about things that have not been previously known. This study examined and analyzed how the Comparison of Service Quality in the Delivery Unit of the Prof.Dr.H.Aloe Saboe Regional General Hospital and Toto Kabila Gorontalo Hospital. The population in this study were visitors at the Public Hospital Unit of Prof.Dr.H.Aloei Saboe and Toto Kabila Hospital. In this study the number of samples used was 80 respondents. In determining the sample, the sampling technique used is the accidental sampling technique. The reference used to measure whether there is a difference between service quality received and expected by visitors is the 5 dimensions of service quality (tangible, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy). The results showed that the significance value (sig-2 tailed) was 0.002 for perception. At the 5% significance level the value is significant because the significance is 0,000 0,05, so it is concluded that there are differences in perceptions of service quality of Rs Aloe Saboe and Rs Toto Kabila so that H1 is accepted. The results of the independent analysis of sample t-test of significance value (sig-2 tailed) amounted to 0,000 for expectations. At the 5% significance level the value is significant because the significance is 0,000 0,05, so it is concluded that there are differences in service quality expectations of Rs Aloe Saboe and Rs Toto Kabila so H2 is accepted.

Review of Community Participation and FM Services Contributions Toward Provisioning of Quality Municipal Services in Malaysian Local Authorities

Local authorities’ service delivery in recent times has categorised as a function of multiple players. Connecting with stakeholders such as customers, suppliers, employees, and local communities and their needs in an interactive session or communicative process has been classified as significant for successful Facilities Management (FM) services that bridges gaps that exist between those expectations and service provisioning that meets their wants and specific needs. FM will lead curtail wastage, less downtime and improve the bottom line. Beneficiaries of LAs services need to have a say in the decisions relating to the facilities provided, and if possible to take part in its provisioning or development and to manage it after completion. The methodology adopted in this research is secondary sources of data, were article, textbooks and statutory documents were critically reviewed. This study reviewed the community participation and FM services contributions towards enhancing and provisioning quality municipal services of LAs in Malaysia. This study shows that there are enormous benefits that both the LAs and local communities can achieve when community participation and FM services come together as a factor of service delivery. Service delivery changes have been complemented by improved community participation and FM systems. LAs in Malaysia can be successful in public sector service quality through the adoption of a community participation based on FM services approach. The results of this study shows that local government in Malaysia are yet to attain excellent level in times of community participation and FM service approach for adequate service delivery. A way forward lies on LAs to embrace service delivery best practice through synergy between community participation and FM at local levels, LAs should examine the revenue bases and expenditures of their local authorities, and the extent that their differences affect the capacity of local authorities in providing quality municipal services.

Welfare System Financing in Belarus


 The topic of welfare sector development in Belarus is nowadays of huge interest since by means of welfare development level it is possible to judge the level and the country’s economic system and the quality of public sector services as well.
 
 
 In recent years, especially in time of recession, the welfare sector positions in Belarus have been considerably weakened. And this is partly explained by the aspiration to keep the old Soviet designs in the welfare system construction. At the same time, when national and subnational budgets are being planned, the governments try to hold with great difficulty the budgetary indicators of welfare sphere at the level of last years. Such attempts, however, lead to the saving of budgetary funds only and they influence the deterioration of the welfare quality.
 
 
 The present paper pursues the aim to show: (i) what tendencies of social budgetary policy can be observed in the time of economic recession (ii), how consistent was the welfare orientation of the central and local budgets in practice and (iii) what prospect ways for welfare sector improvement are there in Belarus.
 
 
 This paper considers the Belarusian welfare branches in national budget and subnational ones, their structure, dynamics and other important indicators. The comparative analysis of welfare sector branches with other European countries is submitted. The paper opens with the inconsistent policy of the Belarusian authorities in the sphere of welfare branches funding. Prospect issues of welfare sphere finance reformation in Belarus in time of an economic crisis are considered.

Human Capital Management and Accountability of Social Enterprise

The emergence of social business enterprises has been attributed to the increased demand for sustainability among the non-profit organisations (NPOs) due to diminishing funding from traditional sources and increased competition for the scarce resources. To date, there is growing interest on social businesses (SBs) as innovation in providing public services that contributes to the social wellbeing of community. This in turn can be linked directly or indirectly to economic development as the sustainability level of the country is measured specifically towards the development of human capital and solving the social problems rather than the economics alone. Indeed, having both economic and non-economic aims, SBs would be the potential solutions to address a range of societal issues and increase the efficiency and quality of public sector services that focus on equitable growth with ecological sustainability. Therefore, it is important to explore the relationship between capability of SBs and the social impact created. This paper explores on capability based on human capital management and social impact or value created through SBs. This is expected to provide some insights on the sustainability and credibility of SBs to support the government efforts in moving towards high nation income.

Institutional delivery in public and private sectors in South Asia: a comparative analysis of prospective data from four demographic surveillance sites.

BackgroundMaternity care in South Asia is available in both public and private sectors. Using data from demographic surveillance sites in Bangladesh, Nepal and rural and urban India, we aimed to compare institutional delivery rates and public-private share.MethodsWe used records of maternity care collected in socio-economically disadvantaged communities between 2005 and 2011. Institutional delivery was summarized by four potential determinants: household asset index, maternal schooling, maternal age, and parity. We developed logistic regression models for private sector institutional delivery with these as independent covariates.ResultsThe data described 52 750 deliveries. Institutional delivery proportion varied and there were differences in public-private split. In Bangladesh and urban India, the proportion of deliveries in the private sector increased with wealth, maternal education, and age. The opposite was observed in rural India and Nepal.ConclusionsThe proportion of institutional delivery increased with economic status and education. The choice of sector is more complex and provision and perceived quality of public sector services is likely to play a role. Choices for safe maternity are influenced by accessibility, quantity and perceived quality of care. Along with data linkage between private and public sectors, increased regulation should be part of the development of the pluralistic healthcare systems that characterize south Asia.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12884-016-1069-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Driving Forces of the Shadow Economy. Theoretical Model

We present theoretical model of shadow economy. The model includes not only economic factors, such as tax burden or fines for unregistered activity, but also legal and organizational background factors, such as level of bureaucracy (corruption), quality of public sector services and institutions, or tax morale. In the proposed model shadow economy arises as a result of interactions between economic entities – government and households. The Nash Equilibrium level of shadow economy is derived and comparative statics analysis is presented.

Quality Management and Its Role in Improving Service Quality in Public Sector

This article presents a detailed review of the literature relating to quality management and the various models that have been developed over the past decades for use in improving service quality. It begins by exploring the concept of service quality and introducing the Total Quality Management (TQM) approach. Thereafter, the article traces the historical development of TQM and considers how the practices associated with this philosophy have evolved over time to produce the fundamental model of Total Quality. Variables that are important in determining the success or otherwise of TQM approaches are then discussed, before the article moves to discuss how TQM has been extended from its original context within the private, manufacturing sector, into the public sector as a method to improve the delivery of services. Moving on from its consideration of TQM application in the public sector generally, the article addresses the use of TQM specifically in security organisations like the military, and the Six Sigma approach adopted by military organisations is presented. From this position, the use of TQM in police organisations is introduced before the article proceeds to consider a range of potential models of QM that may be appropriate in the context of law enforcement. In this respect, the usefulness of these different frameworks that are currently available for assuring quality is debated.

Developing customer-focused public sector reward schemes

Purpose – Governmental agencies are interested in improving the quality of their service delivery. One tool that has been used to manage their performance is performance based reward schemes (PBRS). The aim of this paper is to examine the degree to which a sample of these plans, used within the Botswana public sector, is customer-focused. Being more customer-focused should deliver improved public sector service quality. Design/methodology/approach – This study carried out an evaluation of a sample of Botswana PBRS plans, using multidimensional content analysis undertaken by four expert “evaluators”, to identify the degree to which the PBRS were customer-focused. Findings – Classifying PBRS plans as being customer-focused was difficult, as the plans had few objectives related to customer experiences or outcomes. Those that did had poorly defined performance objectives, their targets were not specific, or there was limited explicit role responsibility. Thus, PBRS plans seemed not to focus on improving customer outcomes. Research limitations/implications – The PBRS evaluated do not appear to be customer-focused and, thus, would have limited ability to improve customer experiences (i.e. public sector quality). Further research is needed in other countries to see whether these results are generalisable, and whether service levels vary with more customer-focused PBRS plans. Practical implications – The results suggest improvements that could be adopted by organisations seeking to make their PBRS schemes customer-focused. Originality/value – Extensive research suggests that PBRS plans can be used to improve service quality. Most of the studies have focused on the employees' perspectives and have not looked at the degree of customer orientation within the plans.

"Assessing The Quality Of Higher Education Services Using A Modified Servqual Scale "

The purpose of the study is to assess the service quality in high publiceducation in Albania, using the SERVQUAL approach. Today Albanian public universitiesare facing fierce competition from private universities, so they find imperative focusingfirmly on service quality they offer to students. The paper reports on a modifiedSERVQUAL survey of students from five public universities in Albania. The survey aims tocapture the perceptions and expectations students have about the service they receive inrespective universities, leading to an evaluation of overall perceived service quality basedon gap analysis.The data analysis reveals interesting findings on students‘ perceptions of service quality inhigh education. The universities‘ management would benefit from these findings byknowing which gap should receive the most attention in order to gain competitiveadvantage. An improved service quality will also help them to face the competition fromother high education institutions. The study confirms the SERVQUAL scale as a suitabletool in assessing service quality in public sector, holding the same strengths as in privatesector. The continuous measurement of service quality in universities will help in engagingin a continuous improvement of this quality, creating a good basis for achieving higherobjectives. Service quality measurement will also help in creating a market-orientation forpublic universities, focusing more on the student as a customer.

Prerequisites for national health insurance in South Africa: results of a national household survey.

National Health Insurance (NHI) is currently high on the health policy agenda. The intention of this financing system is to promote efficiency and the equitable distribution of financial and human resources, improving health outcomes for the majority. However, there are some key prerequisites that need to be in place before an NHI can achieve these goals. To explore public perceptions on what changes in the public health system are necessary to ensure acceptability and sustainability of an NHI, and whether South Africans are ready for a change in the health system. A cross-sectional nationally representative survey of 4 800 households was undertaken, using a structured questionnaire. Data were analysed in STATA IC10. There is dissatisfaction with both public and private sectors, suggesting South Africans are ready for health system change. Concerns about the quality of public sector services relate primarily to patient-provider engagements (empathic staff attitudes, communication and confidentiality issues), cleanliness of facilities and drug availability. There are concerns about the affordability of medical schemes and how the profit motive affects private providers' behaviour. South Africans do not appear to be well acquainted or generally supportive of the notion of risk cross-subsidies. However, there is strong support for income cross-subsidies. Public engagement is essential to improve understanding of the core priniciples of universal pre-payment mechanisms and the rationale for the development of NHI. Importantly, public support for pre-payment is unlikely to be forthcoming unless there is coinfidence in the availability of quality health services.

Teacher shortages and the business cycle

The ability of the public sector to recruit skilled workers is important for the quality of public sector services. Centralized and rigid pay systems in the public sector might reduce labour supply and lead to shortages of qualified personnel in areas and periods with strong outside labour markets. This paper shows that teacher shortages measured by the share of teachers without approved education are strongly procyclical in Norway. Using a large panel of Norwegian local governments for 1981–2002 and exploiting the rigid wage system, we find a sizeable negative relationship between teacher shortages and the regional unemployment rate.

Do Tax and Expenditure Limits Provide a Free Lunch? Evidence on the Link Between Limits and Public Sector Service Quality

We summarize research addressing the validity of the argument that constitutional constraints such as Proposition 13 could reduce the size of local governments while having little effect on the quality of public services provided. A growing body of re- search is producing a consistent conclusion; imposition of tax and expenditure limits results in long-run reductions in the performance of public school students. We provide evidence that reconciles these reductions with the dominant result of the education production literature: dollars matter little. Whether limits are good public policy remains an open question, because work remains on the quantifica- tion of their costs and benefits.