It is obvious for many countries to face an unavoidable depression and the deficit in finance in the 1970s. Therefore, each country intended to create not only small, but also efficient government based on a vision of New Public Management. As a way t...
It is obvious for many countries to face an unavoidable depression and the deficit in finance in the 1970s. Therefore, each country intended to create not only small, but also efficient government based on a vision of New Public Management. As a way to improve the efficiency and their ability to compete, many countries downsize public sectors and promote contracting-out. In a case of social welfare service, contracting-out is more generalized than public sectors due to an intention of using better specialized manpower.
However, social welfare service should focus on the efficiency and the publicness of the service with a concern of minority in community and provide a better service quality to service users at the same time. Therefore, there is pros and cons in the view of cost reduction and the quality of service. While there are different opinions on the usefulness and the side-effect of contracting-out, we should evaluate both the cost reduction and the quality of service in contracting-out.
Nevertheless, the evaluation of contracting-out in social welfare service has not been done properly because the measurement of quantitative performance in social welfare service seems very difficult and social welfare service in tends to orient various sorts of values. Therefore, the author have realized the necessity of study on this issue and the lack of discussion on the evaluation of performance of contracting-out in social welfare service.
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the performance in social welfare service. For this study, the author divides it into two parts; the quantitative aspect of supplier and the quality aspect of client in order to evaluate the performance of contracting-out in social welfare service. The author selects the efficiency as a standard to evaluate the quantitative aspect of supplier’s side, the quality of service as a standard to evaluate the quality aspect of client's side, and derives a indicator. And this study compares the forms to be managed directly by public agency to make sure the evaluation of contracting-out.
For it, this study uses the methods as follows: 1) document research, 2) survey research being related to users, 3) interview being related to staffs, bureaucrats and users and 4)the case study as to the Woman's Development Center.
More concretely, We selects the case of contracting-out in the Woman's Development Center in Seoul Metropolitan City. The Woman's Development Center is under operation in two different operational forms; one is the contracting-out form to be managed by private sector, the other is the forms under direct management of Seoul city. Therefore, this study compares two different operational forms as follows: 1) the efficiency indicator as the quantitative aspect of supplier, 2) the SERVQUAL indicator as the quality aspect of client. And as an other quality aspect of client, the author examines the factors which have been influenced on the educational program between two forms, compared differences of the mean between two forms in the factors influencing the educational program.
The major findings of this study could be summarized as follows;
Firstly, as the quantitative aspect of supplier, the contracting-out forms are more efficient than the forms under direct management of Seoul Metropolitan City in the size and finance. Therefore, the service cost are less expensive in the contracting-out forms.
Secondly, as the quality aspect of client, the contracting-out forms are more satisfied than the forms under direct management of Seoul Metropolitan City in the SERVQUAL indicators- tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurances, and empathy.
Thirdly, the educational contents influences the educational program in the forms under direct management of Seoul Metropolitan City. However, it is as follows the factors which have been influenced the educational program in the contracting-out forms; the educational contents and the cost. Also, there are differences of the mean between two forms in the teaching methods and the cost. As a result, the forms under direct management of Seoul city are higher than the contracting-out forms in the mean.
Lastly, as for the result of Data Envelopment Analysis, the analytic method integrating the efficiency and the service quality, the contracting-out forms are more efficient than the forms under direct management of Seoul city in both BCC model and CCR model.
Based on these results of the study, we would suggest some alternatives in the provision of social welfare service at present and in the future.
Firstly, since the contracting-out forms are more efficient than the forms under direct management of Seoul Metropolitan City in the service cost and service quality, the latter are converted into the contracting-out forms.
Secondly, if the centers are managed in the contracting-out forms, they aren't neglected the publicness. That is, the minorities in community could be available easily the centers inconvenient time.
Thirdly, the center would strengthen their ability to compete in the educational program. To do this, the center should develop the prospective programs, strengthen the special ability of lecturer.
Lastly, the center should inform the women in community of the educational program and educate them to raise the consciousness of an occupation.