Collaboration in Public Services: The Challenge for Evaluation by Bill Jenkins

Author:Bill Jenkins [Jenkins, Bill]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Public Policy, Political Science, General
ISBN: 9781351323666
Google: vLo6DwAAQBAJ
Goodreads: 36704976
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2003-07-15T00:00:00+00:00

We see that the drive for public service quality has stimulated a mix of new forms of collaborative delivery both vertically and horizontally among levels of government, and between government and citizens.

Second, we have argued that many basic, well-known evaluation methodologies can be used to assess the impact of service quality activities. However, an added complexity is the collaborative nature of the evaluation effort required. Thus, in many instances, intergovernmental-type evaluations are needed, bringing with them a distinctive set of problems (Rieper and Toulemonde 1997). The evaluation of service quality activities also raises other challenges such as the involvement of the service or end users in the evaluation process. If the users are involved in the development of the services, they might also expect to be part of the evaluation process beyond a contribution to user surveys. This demands a bottom-up approach such as found in various forms of participatory evaluation. Another challenge may be the pressure on evaluators to assess only the level of quality achieved. While important, happy clients are rarely an objective of public sector programs. There is a need to look beyond service quality.

Third, a number of writers have observed that the move towards improving service quality in the public sector is not a minor administrative change. These reforms put at question a number of basic structures, particularly in Westminster type governments (Stone 1995; Holmes and Shand 1995; Pollitt 1995). For example:

Ministerial accountability appears to be changing in Westminster-style systems as public servants build accountability relationships with their direct clients through engaging citizens via increased consultation, user/client involvement, user boards and service standards.

Parliamentary control and oversight are being challenged with empowered public servants being encouraged to take risks with taxpayer's money and be more entrepreneurial.

Governments are entering increasingly into collaborative arrangements with other levels of government and/or the private sector to deliver services previously directly provided by a single government organization, often confusing who is responsible for what, and leaving Parliaments out of the picture.

The role of Parliament or elected counsellors in local government is being completely bypassed in some forms of market-driven delivery of public services; accountability is through the public market not Parliament: vertical accountability is being replaced or substituted for a more direct, horizontal accountability.

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