Browsing by Author "Merga, Etela"

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    Challenges and Prospects of Civil Service Reform With Respect to Service Delivery: A Comparative Study of Ministries of Trade and Industry, and Finance and Economic Development
    (Addis Ababa University, 2006-06) Merga, Etela; Abebe, Mulugeta (PhD)
    There have been many problems observed in the civil serv ice in stitutions or Ethiopia for so long years. For this reason, the government has implemented Civil Service Reform (CSR) among which the service delivery have got due attention by the government as well as the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MoTI) and the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development (MoFED). The obj ectives of this study is to assess the avai labi lity of enabling environment and preparation made to implement the Service Delivery Reform (SDR), the achievements recorded in implementat ion, the challenges encountered through the course of time, and the mechani sms in place for the improvement and practical implementation of SDR. The research questions designed were also those that answer the objectives of the st ud y. To this effect, the methodology used for the research was qual itative method supported by simple quantitative measurements in the form of percentages and tabular illu stration s. The instruments used to gather data were observat ions, interv iew, and questionnai res. The major findings of this comparative study are seen in respect to achievement and challenges view points. Both find ings are analyzed based on similarities and differences. Regard ing similarities of ach ievements in the two ministries, effectiveness, quality servi ces, commitment of higher officials, and result-or iented evaluat ion system are recorded to some extent. Based on thi s, the number of cl ients served is increased; time of queuing for services is reduced, and so, customer satisfaction. But, professional turnover and absenteeism, as wel l as complaint handling mechan ism are not improved . Simi larl y, regarding a better quality services, customers' expectations and service specificat ions are well identified, but employees' performance management and implementat ion of sustained result -oriented evaluat ion system remained behind. In relation to differences in achievements, among other things while SDR has increased revenue for MoTl, it did not for MoFED. It also seems that employees' feeling sense of urgency and improved absenteeism are better in MoTI than MoFED. However, the achievements of SDR in both min istries are not as advertised and not impressing as intended by the government and the ministries themselves. The major challenges faced the ministries are emanated from low in stitutional capacity; insufficient attitud inal change of officials and employees and other extern al factors. Specifica lly, the challenges encountering the SDR in the mini stries are lack of incentive, inadequate attitudi nal change, in sufficient awareness, lack of moni toring and evaluation, lack of coord ination, sholtage of sk illed manpower, low accountability, lack of support from MCB, the unclear eval uation system of employees, over politicization ofSDR, mismanagement of time, and lack of training. The positive lessons can be learnt from SDR are commitment of hi gher officials; sett ing implementat ion priority; partial customer sati sfaction; and preparat ion and revision of Strategic Planning and Management (SPM) and Business Process Reengineering (BPR). Finally, the recommendations fo rwarded are those that show directions or seek so lutions for the challenges mentioned above. Among others, giving incentive, training employees, reducing over politicization of SDR, utili zing manpower properl y, undertaking monitoring and evaluation; and creating internal competition among and between workers of the mini stries are a few.