Towards quality e‐service in the public sector:

Abstract

Purpose To define and test an approach for the evaluation of the quality of e‐service provided in the LPS sector. Design/methodology/approach The study hypothesises a correlation among e‐service content quality, technological complexity of web sites, and the application of criteria for assessing efficiency, effectiveness, and transparency through organisational re‐engineering induced by e‐service. A model for describing the e‐service quality in the local public service sector is then defined. Findings Provides a methodology for measuring the quality of e‐service in terms of functional quality. It is based on the relationship between benefits for customers and web site technological complexity, assumed to be represented by the level of organisational changes adopted by firms. Research limitations/implications It is necessary to analyse organisational changes actually applied. It would be important to discuss in detail the relevant dimensions of e‐service quality in the public sector. Practical implications The proposed approach should allow managers operating in public‐service organisations to develop useful operational frameworks for e‐service quality‐control systems – based on an analysis of the interactions and transactions made available to their stakeholders. Originality/value This paper addresses the increasing demand for transparency, efficiency, and effectiveness in e‐service provision in the local public service sector. It provides a framework for understanding how the e‐service is provided, how it can be evaluated, and how to assess e‐service quality in terms of the content of the developed web sites.