Service Quality Management and Governance Quality: Dual Drivers of Public Service Performance

Abstract

This study examined the effects of service quality management and governance quality on public service performance and investigated the moderating role of governance quality in the relationship between service quality management and public service performance. This study contributed to public administration and governance studies by providing empirical insights for public service organizations, policymakers, and practitioners regarding strategies to improve service performance. Using a quantitative explanatory research design with a cross-sectional survey approach, data were collected from 66 respondents involved in financial management, operations, service delivery, internal supervision, governance, and performance reporting. The data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to evaluate measurement models, structural relationships, and moderation effects. The results showed that service quality management and governance quality positively and significantly affected public service performance. However, governance quality negatively and significantly moderated the relationship between service quality management and performance, indicating a substitution effect rather than a reinforcing effect. The study concluded that service quality management and governance quality independently improved public service performance, but their simultaneous implementation did not necessarily generate additional performance benefits. This study was limited by its single organizational context, cross-sectional design, and reliance on self-reported data. The findings contributed to public administration literature by highlighting the substitutive role of governance quality and emphasizing the importance of reform sequencing in public service organizations.

Keywords

Governance Quality Public Service Performance Service Quality Management Sustainability