Performance information and learning effects on citizen satisfaction with public services

ABSTRACT

This article examines the learning effects of citizen perceptions on satisfaction with public services. Using an experimental method with internet survey data in Michigan, the study observed the relationship between performance minus expectations (PME) and satisfaction became linear after providing concrete information, indicating that citizens’ antigovernment recognition can be modified by information. Moreover, the learning effect in counties was larger than in municipalities since citizens tend to clearly recognize services for regional governments. Governments should provide preferential treatment to citizens to improve the quality of cognitive process depending on individuals in different PME conditions across different governance levels.

KEYWORDS:

• Citizen satisfaction
• performance information
• learning effect
• local government

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI [16K03494, 19K01490].

Notes on contributors

Yu Noda

Yu Noda is professor of public policy at the Faculty of Policy Studies, Doshisha University in Japan. He is 2014 Fulbright Visiting Scholar in Public Administration and Policy at Georgetown University. His research interests includes citizen satisfaction with public services, trust in local government, and shared services among local governments. He has published in journals such as Local Government Studies, and Asia Pacific Journal of Public Administration.