Effect of performance contracting on perceived service delivery in the Kenya civil service in eastern provincial headquarters, Embu
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Date
2014-07-08
Authors
Kimathi, Dorothy Kaari
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Abstract
The purpose of this research was to find out the effect of performance contracting on perceived
service delivery in the civil service. The research was motivated by the fact that there have been
concerted efforts to correct the scenario of declining performance of the public service. The Public
Service Reform Program (PSRP) was developed and the Strategy for Performance Improvement in
the Public Service launched in 2001. The Government of Kenya adopted, as a policy, the
application of Performance Contracts in the management of the Public Service. Having adopted
Performance Contracting in most of the Ministries by the year 2006, research has been carried out
mainly among recipients of the service to establish its effectiveness in service delivery. This
research was carried out among providers of the service (civil servants) working at the Provincial
Headquarter, Eastern province, Embu County. The target population was 112 respondents on Job
group J and above whose statistics were available at the District Commissioner's office.
Descriptive research design was used. Primary data was collected by use of structured
questionnaires, with closed ended questions; 100 questionnaires were issued and 91 completed
ones received back. They were reviewed for completeness and validity, coded and keyed into the
computer for analysis using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Descriptive statistics
was carried out. Percentile comparisons, frequency tables, pie charts and various types of graphs
were used for presentation of findings. It was established from the findings that performance
contracting has had a positive effect in increasing efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery.
It has caused civil servants to be more devoted to their work and more transparent in their dealings
with clients. The researcher recommended that there was need for Ministry of State for Public
Service to offer more training on PAS to all cadres of staff and especially those in Office of the
President. There was also need to review the performance contracting process in order to reduce
details of performance reporting to avoid taking too much time on it. Its format should also be
varied with cadres and not applied uniformly. Further research needs to be carried out among civil
servants on job group H and below who started performance contracts in 2008/2009. Other
research could also be carried out on other factors, other than PC, that could help improve
performance in the civil service.
Description
Department of Business Administration, 57p. 2011