BEHAVIOUR AND ACTION:CITIZENS VS. PUBLIC SERVICES

Abstract

The paper presents the relation between citizens and public service providers from the view of the applicability of the theory of consumers’ interests and operation of the market mechanisms in the public sector. The roles between the provider and consumer/ user of the service are continuously subject to transformations, determined by the change of systems and mechanisms of public administration. The relations citizen-administration provide the means in order to build the typology for strengthening the position of customers related to the providers concerning the classic concept of organic ensemble of influence, „information – consultation – partnership – delegation – control”. The contemporary public service development awards multiple roles to the citizen, interacting with the activities of design, decision-making, production, delivery or assessment, specific for various stages of the life cycle of the public services. The roles of citizens/users described in the paper are those of codesigner, co-decision-maker, co-producer and co-evaluator. Structured in five chapters, the paper presents relevant aspects concerning the influence of the economic and political environment on the capacity to deliver public services, the interaction between citizens and public services and the roles in service delivery and use. A systemic model of the public service based on systems of expectation is developed, as fundamental issue of an integrated approach of the subject proposed in the paper