CITIZEN PARTICIPATION AND NEEDS AS AN INPUT TOOL FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT QUALITY MANAGEMENT

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Abstract

Citizen participation, which is at the interface between the public and government, directly impacts accountability and the governance process. The purpose of this paper is to focus on the relevance of citizen participation as source of input for local government in it’s quality management system. Quality management for local government, with reference to ISO 18091:2104, is a recent attempt to construct a quality management system specifically targeting the requirements of local government. Using a qualitative approach, the paper examines ISO 18091: 2014 and it’s contribution to strengthening local governance. Further, the importance of citizen participation at the input stage in the ISO quality management framework is reviewed. This is supported by literature pertaining to the requirements that are necessary to promote the value of citizen input, in ensuring the continued success of local government in achieving the desired results, with respect to fulfilling citizen needs.The paper highlights that citizen participation provides the most significant feedback on needs and challenges facing service delivery at the input stage. Such an avenue for citizen participation in a quality management system is relevant for local government to explore, if it is committed to continuous improvement in service delivery. The author considers citizen participation as necessary, if local government is to respond appropriately to their needs. However, citizen participation has to be managed as a process within the quality management framework, if it is produce the desired and reliable results. The paper proposes that such a process has to consider several quality management indicators from the perspective of citizen capacity, local government capacity and overall capacity to manage the process of citizen participation. Overall, insight is provided on how these elements can enhance local government quality management.

Keywords: Citizen Participation, Local Government, Quality Management, Customer Satisfaction, Accountability

Received: 08.12.2016
Accepted: 17.01.2017

How to cite this paper: Dorasamy, N. (2017). Citizen participation and needs as an input tool for local government quality management. Risk governance & control: financial markets & institutions, 7(2), 56-66. https://doi.org/10.22495/rgcv7i2art6