The Impact of Public Service Reform on Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction in the Ministry of iTaukei Affairs

Abstract

Governments plan and implement Public Service Reforms (PSRs), an intervention tool that is aimed at transforming the public service to become more responsible, dynamic and efficient. PSRs in Fiji emerged since the late twentieth century, yet in 2008, Fijis State of the Nation and Economy (SNE) Report still criticized the Fijian civil service as ineffective and inefficient, combined with a lack of established service standards, transparency and accountability, ineffectual leadership, and low productivity.

The Peoples Charter for Change, Peace and Progress (PCCPP) was then formulated to address these issues, outlining eleven key pillars that were aligned to the findings and recommendations of the SNE Report. Over the past five years since 2009, the Fijian government has worked in accordance with the RDSSED (2009 – 2014) to fulfill government objectives through implementation of the way forward in each pillars of the PCCPP.

This study centers specifically on Pillar 4 – related reforms that the Ministry of iTaukei Affairs (MTA) have implemented from 2009 to 2014 in order to achieve efficiency, performance effectiveness and service delivery. The study, thus, investigates the extent to which these reforms have improved service quality and whether or not this has consequently led to an increase in customer satisfaction, using the SERVQUAL model.

The survey method was utilized to collect data from 101 services

and (ii) accidental (or convenience) sampling whereby the respondents residential location was chosen considering the ease of access. Other quantitative and qualitative data were sourced from available secondary sources.

Using a paired samples t - test, the study found statistical differences in the sample mean by comparing the responses of those that visited the MTA prior to 2009 and after 2011. Additionally, customer perception of service quality and satisfaction was comparatively high following the reforms, i.e. the period after 2011 than prior to 2009. The policy implications of the findings and recommendations have been discussed in the study.