scholarly journals Proposing a competitive intelligence (CI) framework for Public Service departments to enhance service delivery

2012 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nisha Sewdass
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Public Service ◽  
Service Sector ◽  
Ethnographic Study ◽  
Competitive Intelligence ◽  
The Public ◽  
Service Departments ◽  
Tools And Techniques ◽  
Improve Service Delivery

Background: The aim of public service departments in South Africa is to improve service delivery through the transformation and improvement of human resources and the improvement of service delivery practices. Furthermore, it is important for the public service sector in South Africa to improve the quality of its service delivery, not only by comparing its performance with other sectors within South Africa but also by positioning itself amongst the best in the world. This can be achieved by benchmarking with other global industries and by implementing the most recent competitive intelligence strategies, tools and techniques. The environment of the public service organisations consists of competitive forces that impact the functioning of these organisations.Objectives: This article focuses on proposing competitive intelligence-related strategies, tools and techniques for gathering and analysing information in the public service departments in South Africa in order to enhance service delivery.Method: The study was qualitative in nature and was divided into two components, namely, (1) theoretical – through an extensive review of the literature and (2) empirical – an ethnographic study at the chosen public service department, the Department of Home Affairs (DHA). Ethnographic interviews with management-level staff, focus groups and document analysis were used to obtain adequate information to determine the current state of public service delivery in South Africa.Results: The results of the study was the development of a new competitive intelligencerelated framework for gathering and analysing information, and it represents a formal and systematic process of informing managers in public service departments about critical issues that these departments face or are likely to experience in future.Conclusion: The strategic planning tools and techniques of this framework will fill the gap that exists in public service departments. Once this framework has been implemented, it could assist these departments to improve service delivery to its citizens.

scholarly journals Decentralization as a Strategy for improving Service Delivery in the Botswana Public service Sector

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Theophilus Tebetso Tshukudu
Keyword(s):  
Service Delivery ◽  
Public Service ◽  
Service Sector ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Public Service Delivery ◽  
The Public ◽  
Long Period ◽  
General Terms

The Botswana public Service has been faced with service delivery challenges since independence in 1966. Like other developing and under developed countries, the Botswana government has reviewed its service delivery processes and initiatives with a view to better productivity across the public service sector. Many strategies and initiatives were introduced by the Botswana government over a long period of time to mitigate poor service delivery across the public service sector. One of these initiatives were the decentralization of certain functions from central to local government.However, the implementation of this initiative was not without problems. This paper will highlight the decentralization in general terms will be discussed and the focus will be narrowed to how decentralisation has to improved public service delivery in thepublic service sector. The evaluation of the process will be highlighted; recommendations and closing remarks will be made.

scholarly journals Causes of Poor Service Delivery and the Feasibility of Outsourcing to Improve Services in Local Authorities

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (2(J)) ◽  
pp. 188-198
Author(s):  
Wadesango N. ◽  
Mhaka C. ◽  
Chikomo T. ◽  
Wadesango V O
Keyword(s):  
Service Delivery ◽  
Citizen Participation ◽  
Public Service ◽  
Local Authorities ◽  
Public Service Delivery ◽  
The Public ◽  
Political Interference ◽  
Feasible Option ◽  
Theoretical Paper ◽  
Improve Service Delivery

 This theoretical paper was undertaken to ascertain the causes of poor service delivery and to establish if outsourcing of public service delivery could be used to improve local Authority services. It interrogated and critiqued documents on what other researchers in their different contexts had established in view of the feasibility of outsourcing as a strategy to improve service delivery. It emerged in this study that political interference, lack of citizen participation. lack of funds and corruption were the main causes of poor service delivery in local authorities. Therefore, outsourcing was seen to bring quality and affordable services for the public while costs savings and emergence of hidden costs were the financial implications unveiled for the local authorities (LAs). Social costs, accountability for public service delivery and quality shading were cited to be the outsourcing challenges.  It also emerged in this study that outsourcing can increase service quality and provide affordable services for the public. Taking into account the information that was accumulated and examined, the researchers came to the conclusion that the current services being offered by local authorities are very poor and this is attributed to many causes such as political interference, lack of citizen participation, lack of funds and corruption. The study therefore, concludes that outsourcing could be a feasible option to use to improve service delivery by local authorities. 

scholarly journals Actions and Behaviours Essential for Monitoring & Evaluation to Succeed in South African Public Service

2014 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 5
Author(s):  
Malefetsane Mofolo ◽  
Lungepi Mkuyane ◽  
Tembile Skade
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
South African ◽  
Public Service ◽  
Monitoring And Evaluation ◽  
The Body ◽  
Public Servants ◽  
The Public ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
Regulatory Frameworks

As an intervention mechanism to improve service delivery, the concepts of Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) is recently growing in popularity among countries, including South Africa. To this end, questions are posed in this article to establish the effect of making use of M&E in the South African public service. These are posed in view of the fact that South Africa has established a number of sound regulatory frameworks in the past, which should serve as a ‘fertile’ environment for effective service delivery. On this basis, attempts are made to investigate the answers to such questions, and then the body of knowledge through literature review was consulted so as to contextualise and conceptualise arguments and recommendations that could be made at the end of the article. Monitoring and Evaluation could be seen as a critical tool for government institutions to be effective towards achievement of their goals and objectives, as well as making an impact on the lives of South African citizens. In view of this, much needs to be done to several unresolved issues, particularly issues around the organisational/operational culture, peculiar public servants’ attitudes, inefficiency and incompetence, as well as non-compliance with relative legislation. Recommendations with regard to the required actions and behaviours in the public service are, therefore, proposed for consideration.

scholarly journals Causes of Poor Service Delivery and the Feasibility of Outsourcing to Improve Services in Local Authorities

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 188
Author(s):  
Wadesango N. ◽  
Mhaka C. ◽  
Chikomo T. ◽  
Wadesango V O
Keyword(s):  
Service Delivery ◽  
Citizen Participation ◽  
Public Service ◽  
Local Authorities ◽  
Public Service Delivery ◽  
The Public ◽  
Political Interference ◽  
Feasible Option ◽  
Theoretical Paper ◽  
Improve Service Delivery

 This theoretical paper was undertaken to ascertain the causes of poor service delivery and to establish if outsourcing of public service delivery could be used to improve local Authority services. It interrogated and critiqued documents on what other researchers in their different contexts had established in view of the feasibility of outsourcing as a strategy to improve service delivery. It emerged in this study that political interference, lack of citizen participation. lack of funds and corruption were the main causes of poor service delivery in local authorities. Therefore, outsourcing was seen to bring quality and affordable services for the public while costs savings and emergence of hidden costs were the financial implications unveiled for the local authorities (LAs). Social costs, accountability for public service delivery and quality shading were cited to be the outsourcing challenges.  It also emerged in this study that outsourcing can increase service quality and provide affordable services for the public. Taking into account the information that was accumulated and examined, the researchers came to the conclusion that the current services being offered by local authorities are very poor and this is attributed to many causes such as political interference, lack of citizen participation, lack of funds and corruption. The study therefore, concludes that outsourcing could be a feasible option to use to improve service delivery by local authorities. 

scholarly journals Operations and quality management for public service delivery improvement

2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 36-45
Author(s):  
Za-Mulamba Paulin Mbecke
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Quality Management ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Public Service ◽  
Operations Management ◽  
Service Management ◽  
Monitoring And Evaluation ◽  
African Countries ◽  
The Public ◽  
Goods And Services

Public service management reforms have not yet contributed to poverty eradication and generally socio-economic development of many African countries. The reforms suggested and implemented to date still prove to be weak in addressing the many challenges faced by the public service in delivering goods and services to the population. The failure of the current public service management calls for a consideration of business-driven approaches and practices that facilitate effectiveness, efficiency, competitiveness and flexibility in goods and services provision. The critical social theory methodology and the literature review technique described and raised awareness on service delivery chaos in South Africa. A public service reform that focuses on operations and quality management is one of the ways of improving and sustaining service delivery in South Africa. Operations management is an essential tool for the planning, execution, control, monitoring and evaluation of production processes. Quality management, in the other hand, is essential to ensure best quality of goods and services produced by the public service within acceptable time and available resources to meet or exceed people’s expectations. The operations and quality management framework proposed in this article is a potential alternative to the current service delivery crisis in South Africa.

Influence of Knowledge Management Practices on Public Service Delivery by Municipalities

Mousaion ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Charleen Musonza ◽  
Ndakasharwa Muchaonyerwa
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Public Service ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Integrated System ◽  
Eastern Cape Province ◽  
Eastern Cape ◽  
Public Service Delivery

This study examines the influence of knowledge management (KM) practices on public service delivery by municipalities in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The study sought to determine the factors that have triggered the implementation of KM practices; the effectiveness of KM practices towards public service delivery; and the extent to which KM practices have influenced public service delivery by municipalities in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were employed in this study. Quantitative data were collected through a survey questionnaire administered to a sample of 202 employees at the Raymond Mhlaba Municipality in the Eastern Cape. Qualitative data were collected through observations and interviews of 2 senior managers. The data collected gave a response rate of 72 per cent. The quantitative and qualitative data were analysed descriptively and presented verbatim respectively. The results indicated that the internal and external factors included in this study have contributed to the implementation of KM practices in the municipality. Furthermore, the effective use of KM practices has increased the organisational KM initiative, as well as the provision of services such as electricity, education, transport, and social services by the municipality. The study recommends the establishment of KM awareness and the establishment of an integrated system that will assist in effective knowledge sharing, retention and acquisition across municipalities in the Eastern Cape.

Total quality management and sustainability in the public service sector: the mediating effect of service innovation

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ohoud Ali AlShehail ◽  
Mehmood Khan ◽  
Mian Ajmal
Keyword(s):  
Quality Management ◽  
Total Quality Management ◽  
Public Service ◽  
Service Sector ◽  
Service Innovation ◽  
Abu Dhabi ◽  
Total Quality ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Sustainability Performance

PurposeThis study aims to critically investigate the structural relationships between total quality management (TQM), service innovation and sustainability performance in the public service sector of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).Design/methodology/approachThe study employed an online survey to collect data from 400 employees working in eight selected UAE public service sector organisations located in Abu Dhabi. The collected data were analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM) to empirically examine whether TQM practices improve service innovation and, subsequently, sustainability performance in the UAE's public service sector.FindingsThe results show that TQM has a significant impact on service innovation and sustainability performance in the UAE's public service sector. Additionally, service innovation partially mediates the relationship between TQM and sustainability performance.Practical implicationsThe public service sector's TQM practices and service innovation in the UAE have a much greater impact on social and environmental sustainability than on economic sustainability performance. Adopting five dimensions of TQM (following the Abu Dhabi Award for Excellence in Government Performance [ADAEP] model) across the UAE's public organisations will enable government departments to deliver innovative services to its beneficiaries.Originality/valueThis study provides a substantial contribution by addressing the gaps in the literature. Very few studies have empirically investigated the possible association between TQM, service innovation and sustainability performance in public sector organisations, particularly in developing countries such as the UAE, where the increasing efforts in TQM practices are still in their emerging stages, mainly targeting innovative service offerings and sustainable performance.

scholarly journals Fostering public accountability in South Africa: A reflection on challenges and successes

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pandelani H. Munzhedzi
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Public Service ◽  
Service Provision ◽  
Public Services ◽  
Public Accountability ◽  
The Public ◽  
Current State ◽  
Public Service Provision ◽  
The Republic ◽  
The Government

Accountability and oversight are constitutional requirements in all the spheres of government in the Republic of South Africa and their foundation is in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa of 1996. All spheres of government are charged with the constitutional mandate of providing public services. The level of responsibility and public services provision also goes with the level of capacity of a particular sphere. However, most of the direct and visible services that the public receives are at the local sphere of government. As such, enormous resources are channelled towards this sphere of government so that the said public services could be provided. It is imperative that the three spheres of government account for the huge expenditures during the public service provision processes. The parliaments of national and provincial governments exercise oversight and accountability over their executives and administrations through the Public Accounts Committees, while the local sphere of government relies on the Municipal Public Accounts Committees. This article is theoretical in nature, and it seeks to explore the current state of public accountability in South Africa and to evaluate possible measures so as to enhance public accountability. The article argues that the current public accountability mechanisms are not efficient and effective. It is recommended that these mechanisms ought to be enhanced by inter alia capacitating the legislative bodies at national, provincial and local spheres of the government.

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