EROPA - 21st General Assembly and Conference

SERVICE QUALITY IN PUBLIC SECTOR:
AN OUTCOME-BASED APPROACH
18-21 November 2007
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran

Organized by the Eastern Regional Organization for Public Administration and the Management and Planning Organization of the Islamic Republic of Iran

Sub-theme 1: Reinventing Government: Promotion of Quality in the Public Sector Services

Reinventing Government by Reinventing Public Officials: Experiences in Teaching Public Administration as an Applied Science in Japan
By Dr. Akira Nakamura

Recently, the expression “Reinventing Government” has become a comfortable umbrella term, adopted as a theme in major international conferences, most notably by the United Nations.　Lamentably, I often feel tremendous frustration during these international conventions for several compelling reasons. First, with few exceptions, the meetings rarely started on time: a delay of at least ten to twenty minutes seemed to be taken for granted from the outset. Second, the speakers tended to disregard the time allotted to their presentations, as well as the magnitude of topics they had been invited to discuss. At the end of the day, I came to believe that what we need is not necessarily to reinvent government. Instead, we ought to “reinvent” the mindsets of those public officials in different countries who are in charge of government reform. First, we must teach them the importance of such basics as punctuality and direction in any policy discussion. Officials in government management must first and foremost value professionalism, expressed through punctuality and meaningful policy debate. Similarly, those who are involved in public management should always be mindful of discussion methods, emphasizing that keeping to the point and staying on track are valid objectives in meetings. Without these dimensions, any discussion about “Reinventing Government” is fairly meaningless, and can descend to the level of a joke. I have decided to write the following argument since I strongly believe that before we can tackle the issue of how to reinvent government, we must discuss how best to teach public management.

New Approaches in Public Service Delivery
By Dr. Abbas Monavarian

Development of new streams of ideas, i.e., New Public Management or managerialism and governance, together with development of IT and ICT in the form of E-Government and E-Adminsitration led to drastic changes in the delivery of public services. This paper briefly examines the new methods and approaches of service delivery in public sector.

A Contingency Model for Reforming the Administrative System of Iran:
"VALUED STREAM" Model
By Dr. Majid Pesaran Ghader

The immense transformations that governments have undergone during the past few decades, has made them face many new changes, the ultimate result of which is a complete shift in the position of states and governments. On the whole, the administrative system of any state reflects the view of the relevant government as to how the country is managed and directed. Indeed, the role of the administrative system in the economic, political, social, and cultural structures, and its effects with respect to the realization of the aims of society macro systems is so decisive that without cleansing, curing, and renovating it, the achievement of objectives, as set out for example in the Five-Year Development Plans or those of the 20-Year Vision (Horizon 1404) of Iran, would not be possible. On this basis, the author decided to offer a contingency model for the administrative reform of the state on the basis of scientific methodology. The structure of this model has been determined according to statistical factor analysis which resulted in the determination of eight essential factors. This contingency model was named “HAREKAT-E-SARAMAD”, or “Excellence Movement” aimed to materialize the total productivity resulting from the total of synergies of effectiveness, efficiency, employee satisfaction, customer satisfaction, and the satisfaction of the society, in order to achieve a balanced and sustainable development. Each essential factor is formed of a number of items, just as a model-like, which, based on the determined priority in the analysis, and its role and importance in the model, may be established as a module or subsystem depending on human and technological abilities, and the readiness and interest of managers and leaders of the central and provincial organizations -- be they of productive, trade, or service (public or private) sectors -- to take the necessary actions, provided the managers and leaders have the right cultural background and the benefit of appropriate education and training.

Service Quality in the Public Sector and Its Impact on Economic Growth and Development
By Dr. Sadegh Bakhtiari

Public services is a term usually used to mean services provided by government to its citizens, either directly (through the public sector) or by financing private provision of services. The term is associated with a social consensus (usually expressed through democratic elections) that certain services should be available to all, regardless of income. Even where public services are neither publicly provided nor publicly financed, for social and political reasons they are usually subject to regulation going beyond that applying to most economic sectors.

Almost all of us use public services every day of our lives. We do so as we drive our cars on publicly funded roads or learn at a public school. Millions of us benefit from services provided by our hospitals, schools, colleges and universities, as well as our police force and other front-line services. Public services are therefore emergencies – for example, at times of illness; and for everyday use.

Our public services can be considered as high quality and excellent if a high degree of satisfaction has been received by the public. Many people remember when they were well cared for in hospital or look back with gratitude on the assistance received from well trained teachers.

People consider public services as high quality services if it is easy to find out about, simple to use and responsive to their needs. They want them to deal with their requirements, preferably in one go. If they can not do this, they want to know by when they will be dealt with. They do not want to be passed between different offices or handled by staff who know little or nothing about them. In particular, they want to be treated as individuals.

Restructuring the Bureaucracy: Some Problems and Insights of the Implementation Process
By Perla E. Lagaspi

The New Public Management model has made a critique of the “old” model of bureaucracy. The characteristics of a centralized, hierarchical and inflexible structure of the bureaucracy have not been responsive to the demands and concerns of the citizens who are considered to be its clientele. Because of these characteristics, the bureaucracy has been described to be “ineffective, inefficient, and unresponsive” (Minogue, 2001). Because of such criticisms, a strong call has been made to “reform” the bureaucracy. One reform strategy that has been adopted is restructuring or reorganizing the bureaucracy.

Restructuring as a strategy assumes that the bureaucracy has become inefficient and ineffective because of its size. There are too many employees who cost much and do not do much work and perform less. Thus, efforts are directed towards reducing the size of the bureaucracy by abolishing structures or offices that are no longer relevant or non-functional based on the vision and mission of the organization. Efforts could also focus on merging of offices or structures to avoid duplication of functions. Or, it could be towards the creation of new units or offices to address a particular concern of the clientele.

Restructuring may involve the process of decentralizing certain functions to the sub-national levels to make service delivery more accountable and responsive to the local community.

The strategy may result in the transfer or redeployment of employees which may in turn lead to the lowering of their morale and motivation levels. The organization may also have to provide some “safety nets” to the displaced employees which may prove to be too costly on the part of the government.

Envisioning the positive results of the restructuring strategy, the Philippine national government has adopted such strategy with the end view of making the government bureaucracy more efficient and effective. However, certain questions are raised regarding the process of implementation. Hoe effective has the implementation been in addressing the above concerns on efficiency and effectiveness? What are the problems encountered in the implementation strategy? What are the resulting effects on the employees affected by the restructuring?

This paper would try to address the above queries. It would look into the implementation of the restructuring process of the Department of Health, one of the agencies providing frontline services. It would examine the processes entailed, the problems encountered, and the effects on the affected employees. The paper would also draw some lessons learned from the process of restructuring an agency of the government.

Quality Disaster Management in Asia and the Pacific: The Role of ICST
By Dr. Mojtaba Khalesi, Dr. Saeed Mirzamohammadi, Afsaneh Shafiee, and Behnaz Pourseyyed

This paper examines the necessity of improving quality disaster management through Information, Communication and Space Technology (ICST) applications in Asia and the Pacific region. The region, compared with other regions, is the most disaster-prone with greater potential for catastrophe. To perceive the importance of each natural disaster in the Asia and the Pacific region, the study examines the frequency of different disasters in the region during 1900-2006, and indicates that earthquake, flood, drought, and typhoon are of the most importance, causing huge casualties and physical losses. In examining the sufficiency of the existing mechanisms to mitigate casualties and losses, the study conducts a three-stage survey: first it provides a history of recent declarations, resolutions and other regional and international documents that emphasize on the necessity to take serious measures to operationally deal with disaster management. Then it examines different ways of disaster management (pre-disaster and post-disaster methods) as well as the existing mechanisms within the Asia and the Pacific region to deal with different types of natural disasters. The results showed that the region suffers from the deficiency in the supply of pre-disaster management measures, as nearly all the existing mechanisms are inclined towards capacity-building rather than information management and early warning -ICST applications in disaster management. Therefore, considering potential benefits of disaster related information management in mitigating casualties and economic losses, within a 10-year period of time (spanning from 2009-18), a total benefit of $44,472 million is expected to be achieved through disaster related information management, the study concludes. Therefore, making use of the existing ICST capabilities to enjoy disaster related information management- rather than relying just on the existing post disaster measures- seems the best strategy to be taken cooperatively by all countries in Asia and the Pacific.

A Survey of the Influence of Intergovernmental Relations on the Pace and Quality of Public Services
By Dr. Ali Ashgar Pourezat and Melika Shirmohammadi

Intergovernmental relations (IGR) developed as a concept in the 1930s but it was many years before the term became widely used (Wright, 1988). Emphasizing the effects of the structure of intergovernmental relations on the pace, vigilance, and quality of public policy making, has taken into account the ways to reduce time and to increase the quality of public services. Thus, by thinking about the manner of identifying public problems and categorizing them as the starting point to make any kind of decision concerned with offering public services, it emphasizes the necessity of adopting a suitable strategy in confrontation with any sort of condition.

This article suggests that the limits and variety of decisions and then the manner of offering services in a way that is suitable for every level of intergovernmental levels should be determined so that intergovernmental frictions would decrease and the pace as well as coordination in decision making process and offering services (decision implementation) would increase.

Experiences and Benefits From Implementation of BSC in Strategic Oriented Meteorological Organization of the I.R. of Iran
By Dr. Ali Mohammad Noorian

Today the modern Organizations are considered like living beings. In Living beings such as humans, there are factors which are called living symptoms (signals) – Does the organization have living signals and Can we measure the blood pressure and pulses of an organization as we do on human being? In this respect, by Balance Score Card (BSC) we can recognize and control the signals.

So for executing the BSC, it is necessary to change the organization to a strategic oriented organization. For making the changes, there are many challenges that should be answered. First question is how to keep the vast organization, around a high level strategy and secondly how to change skills of managers & staff that all have grown in a data oriented organization, to new skills consistent with the strategies.

For these reasons, the plan for establishing a strategy based meteorological organization have been reconsidered repeatedly, taking in to account the priorities through several expert meeting and spending a lot of time on team working and on the job training.
Although it is hard to forward in the way to become a strategic oriented organization, but we have gained following benefits.

This article states the total quality management from new theory point in public sectors, particularly in Iran. The relationship betweengovernments and nations are changing. Services in public sector are provided within bureaucratic structures with specific duties historically. All public sectors in Iran have been tied to the authorities and government decisions. Governmental organizations have traditionally considered, politicians as their ultimate clients and their first duty would therefore be to ensure the satisfaction of these masters. The reader will be acquainted with new theory of TQM in Iran public sector, especially the important factor, i.e God's satisfaction.

Ethics and Trust in the Pubic Sector: Issues in Australia
By Dr. James Elliott

Australian Society has become more complex and demanding of government and the public sector. This has led to more government intervention, and with more concern for equity both in the society and public sector. Then there has been a growing pressure for the public sector to cut expenditure and provide more cost efficient services. This has led to the development of the New Public Sector Management. Partly because of a decline of trust in government, there has been a growth in the activities of NGO’s concerned with the rights of citizens and equity. Government has responded with various control devices such as the New Administrative Law.

Today various ethical issues and problems face the public sector coming from these movements. New managerialism is well entrenched in the public service but its values can be in conflict with traditional public service ethics. Concern has also been raised about the financial and other costs of the various control systems designed to stop abuse and protect equity. Long standing internal bureaucratic dysfunctions continue to damage citizen trust in the public sector. Increasingly in recent years government has intervened into the public service endangering values such as neutrality. There is still trust in the public sector in Australia. It is recognised that strong government is needed to tackle current problems in the society. Yet the culture and institutions appear to be strong enough to monitor and control government and ensure that justice, equity and trust are protected.

Trust in Government: The Core Element og Good Governance
By. Dr. Kosaku Dairokuno

Corruption is a universal phenomenon. Not only in the developing countries but also in the developed countries, there have been strenuous efforts to eliminate corruption. It is important not only because corruption often times stifles efforts to achieve efficient economic development in developing countries, but also because it destroys much needed trust in the governments regardless of the level of development. In recent years, the eradication of corruption has become an issue of top priority. Various measures (including the result-based framework) have been taken to increase the transparency, accountability, and responsiveness of governance. Indeed, nobody denies the desirability of transparent, clean and accountable governance. However, there remain a couple of questions to be answered. Firstly, are those measures alone effective? Secondly, is the eradication of corruption the prime goal to be achieved at any cost? If we say that it is indeed a prime goal, no one seems to disagree. But when asked if it is the prime goal, the reactions of people to the question may vary. Why so? It is because people are also well aware of the fact that there are indeed many other values to be achieved in governance. Simply put, we are not living for transparency alone. Here, I would like to cite an old saying in Japan: Fish can not survive in the transparent water. I would argue in this paper that the curtailment of corruption can not be achieved without effective governance, and that the effective governance, in turn, would much depend upon people’s trust in the government.

A Study on Concurrent Criterion Validity of Cognitive and Non-Cognitive Variables in Relation to Responsibility in Work Trainees of Some Companies Affiliated with a Governmenrt Organization
By Dr. Mehdi Darvish

The present study examines the simple and multiple relations between 153 cognitive and non-cognitive variables, as predictors, and 1 criterion variable, responsibility, aiming at identify the criterion (concurrent) validity of the tests. 842 job trainees of some companies affiliated with a government organization spent 5 days to respond the four groups of tests consisting cognitive tests, personality inventories, questionnaires relating to values, beliefs, needs, and job interests, as well as, some individual tests. Analysis of the data involved both descriptive and inferential statistics including means, standard deviations, correlation coefficients, and regression coefficients. The results revealed that a considerable number of cognitive and non-cognitive variables have simple correlations with responsibility and 1 cognitive and 13 non-cognitive variables have multiple correlations with this criterion variable.

Ethics in Government: The Philippine Scenario
By Atty. Ariel Ronquillo

Many milestones have been achieved by the Philippine Civil Service in the course of its 107 year history. The Civil Service Commission (CSC), now a Constitutional Body started as a small bureau in charge purely of examinations for entry to government.

Gradually it introduced and enhanced public human resource mechanisms responsive to the changing times. The increasing number of clientele, the continued democratization of our system of government, the highly political environment and the advance and sophisticated technology all provide opportunities and challenges to the Civil Service.

The road however is not easy to trek. Moving towards developmental approaches to public management became the battle-cry of the Commission with “The Civil Service Commission: Strengthening its Own Integrity” as the ideal. Issues and concerns relating to employment in government, from hiring to separation, sprout abundantly necessitating prompt and apposite responses.

Problems on recruitment arise mainly due to unabated political intervention, undue favor and accommodation causing a dent on the constitutionally mandated merit and fitness as basis for appointment. During incumbency, questions on employee’s efficiency, effectiveness and ethical concerns come into play while in the area of separation from the service violation of security of tenure has been the perennial complaint.

Measures within the level of the CSC were put in place to arrest these problems.

To broaden the choices of the appointing authority and to avoid confining to one’s circle the opportunity to apply, the policy on publication and vacant positions was made a requirement for the validity of an appointment pursuant to the law on publication. A ban on appointment was likewise imposed every after the conduct of elections to prevent outgoing elective officials from indiscriminately issuing appointments to one’s political protégés and stringent qualification standards and screening process are made as mandatory requirements.

State workers have a code of conduct to live by. The laws and rules are already there and it is just a matter of sincerely living by the code of conduct that is yearned. As the agency, which exercises oversight functions on human resource management in government, the CSC realizes too well its role in fighting corruption through transparency measures like the Mamamayan Muna Hindi Mamaya Na and the Public Service Delivery Audit/Assistance Program (PASADA). Its mandate is explicit: that, it shall assume a lead role in professionalizing the civil service through its Personnel Management Audit (PMAAP/CSCAP) initiates, partnering with the Public Sector Union in identifying and advocating for excellent service; in promoting public accountability in government service through CSC Text program and in adopting performance based tenure in government through its Personnel Management System-Office Performance Evaluation System (PMS-OPES).

On termination of employee’s services, the Constitution is clear that no government official or employee can be disciplined or removed from office except for cause and due process. In the rules promulgated by CSC, the right of the respondent to be heard is well protected. Not only to present one’s side, but also the right to avail of the assistance of counsel of one’s choice. Safeguards against delays have been instituted to see to it that the case can be dispensed of speedily.

The rules however are different in the non-disciplinary mode of separation dubbed as “Dropping from the Rolls”. This mode is based on the failure of the official or employee to make ones’ office function due to circumstances besetting him/her. Thus, the grounds for dropping from the rolls are: Absence Without Official Leave for 30 days or more which can be used even without notice; Two Unsatisfactory or One Poor Performance; and, Physical and Mental Incapacity. This mode does not require the application of the rules on discipline for it is not disciplinary in nature but only a means to enforce performance based security of tenure.

While we continue to introduce novel ideas in our practice of human resource management, we believe however, more and continuous initiatives have to be done to keep abreast with challenges and opportunities in our environment.

Increasing Client's Satisfaction: An Effective Element to Increase Trust Into Organizations
By Mr. Ali Safdari and Mr. Mohammad Ramezanian

One of the important elements of social capital is trust. Trust is a prerequisite to formation of social connections and conventions. Thus, trust is a major and lay precondition to the essence of any society and also a facilitator to trade-offs in social environment, so the cost of social and organizational trade-offs becomes minimum. Also, it contributes strongly to discipline issues at social and organizational tiers. Today, due to social changes and substitution of contemporary organizations with conventional relations, the importance of trust to contemporary organizations and their contributions to the society to fulfill new public needs is unequivocal. Therefore in the lack of trust, connection among individuals and organizations will be lost and feelings to insecurity and anxiety be created in society so we will not observe any development in the country.

Ethics and Trust in Public Sector: Nepalese Experience
By Mr. Yuba Raj Pandey

Emergence of new trends like liberalization, decentralization, principle of subsidiary and alternative ways to service delivery has directed towards making reforms and revisiting conventional approach of the governance after the 1980s. In these days, better service delivery is the major concern of the state which desires trust and ethics in public sector. The political, economical, social and administrative context is looking for the same in our perspective.

Ethics is the fairness in action and behavior for public interest. It is the composition of trust, consistency, truthfulness, integrity and impartial decision making. Code of conduct, effective legal framework and accountability mechanism are the major determinants for public service ethics whereas it demands political commitment, ethics coordinating body and active civil society. Rule of law with peace & security are believed as the foundations for building trust which depends on quality of service. Emerging approaches of public administration such as accountability and transparency, decentralization, active civil society and partnership in service delivery are recommended as the promoting factors for this agenda.

As a developing country, the government is attentive to meet people's expectation which is growing rapidly in these global setting. New dimensions of public administration have created pressure on the government to initiate reform since the 1980s. Presently public sector reform has been a major agenda of the country. Some crucial initiatives have been undertaken to build a people oriented and professional governance system resuming the effective mechanism of public accountability, partnership approach, devolution of power and anti-corruption efforts. Reform initiatives have been paying continuous efforts in addressing the emerging issues in governance process; although improvement of competency, service orientation of public authority, corruption control and involvement of civil society are still laying as the critical issues of building trust and ethics in public sector.

Public service ethics is one of the key stones of public trust and both are surrounded by cultural environment. The issues of ethics are not similar throughout the world. The application and experiences differ country to country. Most likely the developing countries have more concern on building trust and ethics in public service. Core values, empowered citizens, prioritized service delivery and increased transparency & accountability are the fundamental ingredients for building trust and ethics in the governance mechanism.

Looking for an Islamic Approach to Service Quality via Excellence Management in Public Sector
By Dr. Hedayat Kargar Shouroki

The public service sector, being a service provider to the public, should not be immune from pressure that drives an organization to be successful with quality services that satisfy their customers. For true progress in attaining the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, innovative local solutions utilizing public service quality promotion are essential and it seems that excellence management approach can help to promote the public service quality.

Islam, as a widespread religion, has a set of goals and values encompassing all aspects of human life, including social, economic and political issues. In this paper we are looking for such a domestic model according to Islamic societies' requirements by using excellence management approach, and finally the FACT model is introduced. By this approach, we have searched into religious references in Islam, especially the holly Quran, and we tried to find some recommendations or guidelines for developing an Islamic model for excellence management. The FACT model is fundamentally based on a short part of the holly Quran named as "Soureh-al-Asr". In spite of its shortness, "Soureh-al-Asr" has summarized all of Quranic cognitions and includes a comprehensive and complete program foe human excellence.

On the base of the lessons from the holly Quran we can summarize the Islamic approach toward excellence management by the FACT model and the main components in this model are:

This study provides information for Islamic government managers that might wish to establish a religious and domestic model to enhance service quality in the public sector by an excellence management approach.

Sub-theme 3: Public Service Standards: Defining Clear Targets and Key Result Areas

Minimum Service Standard as Public Service Improvement Efforts: The Indonesian Experience
By Dr. Ismail Mohammad

The Indonesian constitution requires its government to fulfill the basic needs of its people on the basis of the civil rights of each citizen. In order to carry out this mandate as well as to face the challenges of current demands, there are several policies that have been formulated to optimize public service quality in Indonesia. The development of those policies is in line with the reform movements that took place since 1998. The movements have changed the paradigm of the state administration system. The Indonesian government which was once very centralistic has reformed itself into decentralist. By adopting decentralized policy, the government commitment to improve the quality of public service to the citizens has strengthened. In order to realize and to accelerate the improvement of public service, several breakthroughs have been conducted, among others, the Minimum Service Standards (MSS) as one of the milestones of Indonesian public service improvement efforts.

MSS is in fact the actualization of the Indonesian decentralization policy. It is a central government public policy which aims at ensuring the local government to provide basic standardized services which can be accessed by the public. These standards are expected to become guarantee that each basic service should be provided and accessible to all citizens. MSS is guidance among local governments to provide equally qualified service to their respective citizens as well as instrument for measuring local governments’ performance in basic service provisions. The government believes throughout feedback from the public via performance monitoring and evaluation as well as performance reporting on the implementation progress of minimum service standards, sustainable and continuous improvement of Indonesian service quality would be enhanced.

The Relation Between Standardization and Quality Measurement in the Public Sector Services
By Dr. Kamaran Rezaie

Some services such as consulting services do not have any tangible physical production, but in this kind of services customer satisfaction plays a significant role, and the service process should be designed in a way that in the end, we get to the customer satisfaction. Nowadays, it is proved that the fulfilment of logical precent of increasing expectation of customers only takes place in the integrated systematic framework that its components are a combination of information and qualitative activities. Using a specific standard for any process is the necessary condition for achieving discipline in any system. Designing quality insurance system in any company creates discipline in different activities. It also creates a definite standard for any process and helps to specify employees' job descriptions. Using a specific standard for activities will be insurance for achieving minimum quality of services provided in the company, the more qualitative services provided in the company, the more customer satisfaction will be and this will lead to more benefits for the company. Accordingly, this articles is going to introduce quality measurement methods, documentation and ISO 9000 in the public services and the relation between these thwo subjects have been reviewed.

Service Standardization in the Public Sector of I. R. of Iran
By Mr. Ebrahim Sadeghi and Ms. Fateme Sadeghi

The Governments are committed to modernizing government management and improving citizen / client satisfaction with the services they deliver. To this end, many governments are moving forward on a number of important initiatives, including the Service Improvement initiative. A key feature of these Initiatives is the requirement for government departments and egencies to establish and monitor service standards, and use them to manage client expectations as a means to improving client satisfaction.

This article discusses the following items: 1) Introduction to service standards; 2) overview of service standards essential elements; 3) service standards experiences in Iran; and 4) learning from experiences and present some recommendations to implement service standard initiative in a successful manner in Iran.

TQM Implementation in Hospital: A Case Study in the I. R. of Iran
By Dr. Mohammad Zayandeh

Interest in quality of health care is not new for patients, professionals and governments.
Health care organizations throughout the world are undergoing significant changes and the issue of health care quality management has drawn considerable attention from customers, policy makers and health care managers.

As demand for health care quality and expenditure continue to increase, health care providers, especially hospitals, have been forced to maintain acceptable level of quality of care and improving their services as well optimizing use of their resources. The assessment of service quality leads to using resources effectively and efficiently towards improvement. Patients are expecting more from health care and are increasingly more dissatisfied with errors, duplications, longer hospital stays, and mismanagement and waste.

The assessment of service quality leads to using resources effectively and efficiently towards improvement. Patients are expecting more from health care and are increasingly more dissatisfied with errors, duplications, longer hospital stays, and mismanagement and waste.

The government’s responsibility in public and private health care sector has increased and governments have acted to protect patients from poor quality health care its sequences. However, improving patient satisfaction and reducing or at least maintaining costs are perhaps the most important reasons for applying a systematic approach to quality in health care organizations.

Sub-theme 4: The Role of Public Servants Towards Achieving Quality Services in the Public Sector

Civil Servant and Public Service: The Practice and Enlightenment of China
By Mr. Xu Yuegao

The human race has been experiencing a complicated and profound change since the new century. One significant trend during the change is that, in the context of rapid development of knowledge economy and high technology, the service sector, especially the modern service sector, is playing a more and more important role in the world industrial structure under the background of mutual transformation between knowledge and industry. To some extent, the society today is entering into a service society. The economy today is stepping into a service economy. And the era today is becoming an age of service-emerging.

The Chinese government has always attached great importance on the public sector reform and made intensified efforts on improving civil service system. During the reform, the government has also focused on motivating the civil servant to play an active role in building service-oriented government and implementing public service. The public sector reform has made substantial progress and achieved marked results which provided a potent support to the social-economic development in a scientific way.

Quality Management and Excellence in the Higher Education: Toward Developing a Generic Model
By Dr. Abolhassan Faghihi

Quality improvement in education, learning and research at universities has attracted the attention of many leaders of higher education in different societies. The purpose of this article is to examine how modern quality management approaches could be applied at universities in order to improve education, learning and research. To this end theories and models of quality management in higher education in the first decade of the third millennium have been reviewed. In addition, the role higher education leaders should play to enhance quality of their organizations has been highlighted. This study also reviews the way both total quality management and EFQM models are used in higher education. Finally, a comprehensive model that is based on learning organizations and puts an emphasis on the cooperation as well as collaboration of main stakeholders of higher education has been suggested.

Public Sector Leadership From the Islamic Value Perspective
By Dr. Mohsen Alameh

Servant leadership is a relevant model for the 21st century where people and relationship skills take priority over the task and product especially in the public section. This concept was primarily introduced in the western society. Doing a thorough investigation in the literature and philosophy of Islam religion and specifically in Nahjul Balaghah which consists of the letters and sermons of Imam Ali to his followers and officers, demonstrates that this concept had been developed and nurtured in Islamic instructions to leaders specifically public administrators. In addition it could be mentioned that Islam has gone beyond the concept of servant leadership and has presented some additional features according to this concept.

In this paper, a review of the literature in the area of servant leadership has been done. In addition some aspects of Islamic servant leadership which are drawn from Nahjul Balaghah are presented. Finally, the conclusion is given.

The Role of Knowledge Management for Reinventing Administrative Processes in Public Sector
By Dr. Seyed Kamal Vaezi

Knowledge-based administration and management systems are creative and systematic methods undertaking by the government to enhance policy quality and administrative services through knowledge activities. In last paradigm of concepts knowledge management focuses on the management of information resources, but in new definitions knowledge-based administration and management is an integrated concept emphasizing the purpose of enhancing the quality of policies and administrative services and also reinventing managerial procedures through knowledge-based administrative processes.

The widespread sharing and utilization of quality knowledge enables better policies and services in a shorter period of time. The conceptual developmental stages of knowledge-based administration systems are: implementation, adaptation, activation, and maturity.

The objective of this paper is to show how public sector can follow path for achieving the needs for establishing KBMS in this sector. In this case it is important to evaluate advancement and recognize the missing needs for developing knowledge based administration systems for achieving social benefit and development especially in following functions:

- Maintenance of domestic order
- Provision for public goods and services
- Promotion of economic growth and development
- Operation of social programs to alleviate poverty
- Protection of civil liberties

Human Resources Development and Public Services Quality
By Dr. Ahmad Tabatabaei

This article discusses the position and stand of the client as the as the main focus and explains how governmental and private organizations can adapt their main needs and strategies with their clients.

The model of public services quality as the last model for better provision of services devleopment has been limited to the dimensions of development of the country, development of the organization, and individual development. Evolutional processes of improvement of services in governmental sector, improvement of quality management cycle, managing empty spaces, the importance of invisible assets, evolutional process of human resources development and services quality and the main incentives of imrpovement of services in public sector have been discussed. In addition with the introduction of human rsources development cycle and services quality cycle --- public services quality process, efficient human resources development infrastructures have been introduced for improvement of public services, advices for improvement of public services, and strategies of public services quality. With introduction of important indicators in three management approaches, the process of designing management system of services quality and human resources development have been demonstrated. The characteristics of the provided services in public sector faced challenges in developing countries, eight qualitative dimensions of public services, and the philosophy of paying attention to governments and customer satisfaction were also discussed. Finally, some effects and direct and indirect applications of human resources development have been discussed and some recommendations were provided for better provision of services.

Utilisation of ICT Technology by Local Governments in Japan
By Mr. Akio Kamiko

Use of computers in local governments started in 1960 in Japan, when the City of Osaka, then second biggest city in Japan introduced them for their office use.

Since then, they have become more and more widely used, and the development of the use of ICT technology by local governments in Japan got into a new phase when, the Government of Japan formulated in 2001 the “e-Japan Strategy.” This “Strategy” set as its target “to make Japan one of the most advanced nations in terms of the use of ICT technologies inside five years.” In the “Strategy,” it was aimed “to realise a government to treat information on electronic media as an equivalent to information on paper.”

However, this has not been totally realised and in the new strategy which the Government of Japan formulated in 2006, the government admitted that “the use of e-government by citizens and corporations has not yet made enough progress and utilisation of electronic technology in local governments, which are most directly involved in service rendering to people, is not enough. This makes it difficult for users like citizens and corporations to appreciate better utilities and services.”

According to the guideline publicised by the Ministry of Interior and Communications, which is in charge of local government affairs, there are four main problems concerning application of ICT technology in local governments in Japan. They are, (1) that utilisation of ICT technology like development of on-line application systems in municipalities, the smallest units in local government system in Japan, has not progressed enough for residents to feel its convenience, (2) that the economic efficiency of those ICT-related affairs has not yet optimised, (3) that new ICT technology has not yet fully utilised to solve local problems, and (4) that enough security measures have not been taken.

This paper intends to describe the present situation of local governments with regard to the use of ICT technology in Japan and to show what difficulties local governments are facing in this regards.

Application of E-Services in Achieving Quality in the Public Sector
By Dr. Seyed Kamal Vaezi

This paper deals with the key factors that would impact upon the implementation of e-government towards achieving quality services based on e-services strategies.

In this case there are different views on the concept of e-Government, in this process the adoption of ICT by the public sector will almost consistently affect:

- Public service delivery
- Structure and organizational settings
- The ethical, social and political systems
- Social needs in the Information era, considering the term citizen centered approach to governing (e-Governance).
- Convert the government into a competitive entity through innovation using ITC.
- Reinventing relations with citizens and the private sector.
- Teams working and work together to create a ‘Good Government’.

It is important to consider that access to the qualities e-services in the public sector can be achieved through a compatible right technology based on social, cultural values and ethical consideration.

From In-Line to Online: How ICT Facilitates Services Beyond the Front Desks
By Ma. Anthonette Velasco-Allones

Technology is a great lever to improve performance outcomes when it is purposively and efficiently used. In this technologically-driven age of governance, many public organizations have found the relevance, usefulness and efficiency of information and communications technology, not only in their day to day operations, but also in enhancing the manner by which the public is served.

This paper seeks to share the comparable and relevant experiences of a local government unit (LGU) and a national government agency in the Philippines on the use of ICT in support of their efforts to improve service delivery to their constituents. In particular, the experiences of the Naga City government and the Department of Labor and Employment will be shared as paper material.

The paper is divided into four (4) parts: (1) a discussion on the basic framework supporting the notion that creating value in public sector service delivery can only effectively happen when ICT is applied to “changed” ways of doing things; (2) a presentation on the “how and why” the selected government entities undertook the ICT-way of governance; (3) a synthesis of the fundamental lessons that can be learned from these experiences and finally, (4) a set of proposals and recommendations that can be further discussed among conference participants.

Is It a Time to Digitalize Public Sector Services?: Proposing a Suitable Model for Developing E-Government in Iran
By Dr. Morteza Rassol Rowaisi

E-government is about changing how government work, share information and deliver services to external and internal clients. It harnesses information and communication technology to transform relationship with citizens and businesses, and between arms of government. According to Article 55 of the Law of Five Fourth Development plan of Iran, the document on the "Size of government and E-government implementation has been approved and special attention has been given to the ICT sector. The purpose of this paper is to propose a suitable and dynamic model for e-government in Iran especially the newly established National Portal would be examined on the basis of the proposed model. For E-government in Iran to become more citizen-centric it is required to leap forward from G2G and develop a new strategy known as G2C in an integrative way by shifting away from the present state which is merely static to interactive and transactional stage and be able to cover all governmental services in one unique portal.

Progress of E-Government and Administrative Reform in Iran
By Mr. Ahmadreza Ashrafologhalaei

Iran’s plans and practices in the field of E-Government as well as various related developments in some chosen developed and developing countries are the subjects to be reviewed in this paper.

E-Government is the delivery of government services and information to the public using electronic means. In other words, it is the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ITCs) to promote more efficient government by allowing better access to information and making government more accountable to citizens.

The main goals of an E-Government include (1) offering effective delivery of public goods and services to citizens via quick response government, (2) strengthening good governance mainly promoting a transparent and accountable government, (3) broadening public participation, (4) improving the productivity and efficiency to cut red tape and minimize the expenses, (5) promoting priority economic sectors.

However, the author would like to use the term, “E-State” which covers the meaning of an E-Country in a better way, since all three branches, i.e. Executive, Judiciary and Legislative, ought to be actively involved in the process of electronic delivery of services in a country.

A study in Iran estimates that over 70 percent of intra- and inter-city trips made by the people are for the purpose of obtaining information, NOT SERVICES! Therefore, developing an E-Government and distance-delivery of services will assuredly cut many kinds of expenses and save time and energy to an unbelievable extent. Iranian Majlis (Parliament) approved allocating over 100 million dollars for the development of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to the public organizations in the Iranian year of 1382 (March 21, 2003-March21, 2004). Henceforth, the Cabinet ratified a detailed program for implementing several National Information and Communication Projects. The program included projects in the fields of e-government, e-commerce, e-banking, e-learning, and e-health.

Management and Planning Organization (MPO) prepared an action plan for accomplishing the e-government project to be fulfilled by different organizations. The e-government action plan was approved by the Supreme Administrative Council in May 2002. Five categories of the Plan include:

Automation of general procedures like office automation, paper-less environment, human resources management systems like personnel and financial systems, etc.
Application of IT to nation-widely re-engineer agency-specific procedures for a total of 10 procedures per year.
A mandate for all government agencies to connect their LAN to Internet and to create their web sites by early 2003.
Creation of a citizen portal by 2004 through which governmental agencies’ information and services could be accessed.
Selection of IT courses to be held for those employees required to attend such courses. (www.mporg.ir)

Of course, the needed information infrastructure should be provided, and the culture required for the electronic administrative system has to be disseminated. Many efforts are being accomplished in these regards.

The first and foremost issue in implementing an e-government is to prove IT advantages through tangible examples so that all people might be encouraged to cooperate and most importantly to involve themselves. For instance, applicants may at present electronically register for university entrance examination (about one million sit for this exam each year).

In order to prepare the needed culture, another significant effort to make people, public organs and private sector familiar with e-government is to hold national and international exhibitions. It should be noted that the first E-Government Fair was held in Tehran in late December, 2003 (www.egov-fair.org). One other effort to foster the required culture is publishing various periodicals including one by MPO titled as Payam-e Tahhavvol Edari, No. 125. (www.mhr-mpo.ir) (http://www.elixiran.com/persian/paygahetelaat/nashriat/nashriat.htm)

Iranian Cabinet, Majlis (Parliament) and Supreme Administrative Council have had different key approvals and sanctions (ratifications) concerning e-state in the I. R. of Iran. A variety of activities have been also predicted and fulfilled all throughout the country. For instance, all governmental organs were ordered to merely use .ir TLD (Top Level Domain) for their Internet addresses by March 2003. Also MPO offered to pay for part of the costs of designing and creating their websites, if only they followed MPO’s mentioned guidelines.

Among other key pre-requisite efforts is anticipation of many IT training courses (both attending and non-attending classes) for the civil servants in order that they might be well prepared for delivery of their related services in an e-state.

The grounds have been also paved for accomplishing an E-Police in the I. R. of Iran.

Meanwhile, utilizing the experiences gained by other countries in the field of e-government will surely help each and every country to lessen expenses, to avoid previous mistakes, and to accelerate the procedures. Hence, in this paper, we take a look at some chosen world countries to use their successful strategies, policies, practices and results on one hand, and to preplan for the problems and obstacles.

Electronic Government and Improving the Quality of Service Delivery to People
By Mr. Alireza Shapari

In the information age, governments have made fundamental changes in organizing ways and structure of service delivery from government to citizen (G2C) by using the electronic government and information technology so citizen can receive their needed services without referring to the agencies for 24 hours of the day and seven days of the week.

In this article we're going to explain the e-government and e-service delivery ways and its importance in public sector. Also, we'll talk about two successful project about this issue: 1) e-Seva Centres in Andhra Pradesh, India (AP); and 2) Iranian National Portal Project (INP).

Public-Private Partnership: Its Impact on the Quality of Service of the Poverty Alleviation Programs / Projects for the Indigebous People
Dr. Gloria Lee

The shortage of classrooms, desks and books, and most often, education as beyond the reach of a life segment or a society particularly families who live below the poverty line. These have reached alarming conditions. The public sector remains helpless in the face of less government resources. The bright side is that a cooperative venture between the public and private entities has strengthened the corporate social responsibilities of the private sectors. They are the main actors in alleviating t6he miserable condition of schools specially in the rural areas. The interface with school authorities, parents and barangays, local government officials has empowered the private sector to share in the solution of the problems. It has joined hands in addressing much needed assistance and service.

The study focuses on the following: different learning strategies to enhance quality education for the poorest regions like the Cordillera, Bicol and Mindanao; building of core shelters projects for the Agtas of Bicol; and the Health Sector for the Indigenous People.

Bicol and the Cordillera are the Luzon-based regions in the top 50% with the highest poverty and subsistence incidence. The private sector’s corporate social responsibility has been a powerful poverty reduction strategy. Muslim Mindanao, on the other hand, has long been conflict zones, not only for militaries and moro rebels but also among families and clans involving feuds. Children are deprived of their opportunities to develop their potentials. But there is a ray of hope for Alibai, a 15 year old whose life has been disrupted by these skirmishes. Alibai was able to return to school through the alternative Learning Systems (ALS) program. She now dreams to be a teacher.

Typhoons brought total wreckage to the Bicol region. The indigenous people of Iriga City, the Agtas had to make do with improvised shelter out of bamboo and leaves. Now, with the Iriguenos, Inc. cashing in, the Agtas at long last have homes, they can call their own.

Right to a decent shelter is right to quality service.

Quality of Public Services Through Citizen Participation
By Dr. Abbas Monavarian and Ms. Akram Khaleghi

The concept of best value has emerged and with it a number of priorities for public service managers. These include elements such as: a focus on the customer and citizen, sound strategic management and sound operational management. The role and expectations of citizens to improve public services is the main focus of this paper. Recognition of the differences between Manufacturing and Service Sectors is the starting point. Citizen participation, service-profit chain for the public sector and serious attention to ethics and values are the main issues for improving public services to citizens. The paper concludes with the most applied and possible methods of service quality increase through citizen participation.

For further information, please contact:

The Secretariat
Eastern Regional Organization for Public Administration (EROPA)
National College of Public Administration and Governance
University of the Philippines
Diliman, Quezon City
Telefax No: (632) 929-7789
E-mail: eropa@eropa.org.ph ; eropa.secretariat@gmail.com
Website: www.eropa.org.ph
Contact Persons: Ms. Ramona Ejercito / Ma. Estrella M. Ocampo

Dr. Mojtaba Khalesi,
Secretary, Iranian Organizing Committee for EROPA Conference
Economic Studies and International Cooperation Bureau
Management and Planning Organization (MPO)
Safialishah St., Baharestan Sq.,
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Tel. No. (98-21) 33910029; Fax No. (98-21) 33951070
E-mail: eropa.iran@mporg.ir
Website: http://eropaIran.mporg.ir ; www.mporg.ir

EROPA 21st GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND CONFERENCE