New Public Management and Customer Perceptions of Service Quality – A Mixed-Methods Study

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of New Public Management (NPM) reform on customers’ perceptions of service quality. This study uses a mixed methods research design. For quantitative data, we use a structured questionnaire and for qualitative data a single, longitudinal, explanatory case study. The case study and survey research findings integrate well and suggest that NPM reform under the right circumstances can result in tangible improvements in service quality, even in the short term. However, NPM reform should not be perceived as a silver bullet that can overcome overnight all inculcated Weberian bureaucratic weaknesses of the public sector that have built up over many years. This research provides significant contribution to new knowledge relating to the impact of NPM on customer perception of service quality, and in particular relating to a Small Island Developing states (SIDs).

KEYWORDS:

• Customer perception
• service quality
• public sector reforms
• new public management