An Implementation Framework for Public Service Charters: Results of a concept mapping study

Abstract

Many organizations have introduced service charters to improve service quality and user satisfaction. However, this goal is not always achieved, with the literature showing both implementation successes and failures. In this article, we analyse the organizational enablers for the implementation of service charters using a concept mapping methodology with an integrated Delphi study. Our empirical investigation, with the support of forty-five experts who had worked with public service charters in the Netherlands, has resulted in a framework involving forty-four organizational enablers. It shows that implementing a service charter requires a change management process that addresses both structures/systems and cultural aspects.

Key words:

• Public service charter
• Delphi study
• concept mapping
• enabler
• service quality

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Rik Brom, Frank Faber, Anouk van der Meer, Peter Severens and the forty-five participating experts for their valuable support.

Notes

Note There is a debate in the literature on the use of the term ‘customer’ (e.g. Barrett 2009). Citizens have various roles in their relationship with government and public services, such as users of public services, voters, taxpayers and recipients of benefits. In this article, we use the term ‘customer’ in the sense of users of public services.