@misc{BirkJoasRinnertetal., author = {Birk, Florian and Joas, Amani and Rinnert, David and Schilling, John}, title = {Framing Service Quality : A Comprehensive Indicator for Measuring Service Quality in Public Administration : Case Study ofB{\"u}rger{\"a}mter in Berlin}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b1570-opus4-20506}, pages = {48}, abstract = {This paper introduces an indicator framework, which allows for a valid and reliable assessment of the service quality of customer-focused government services. While defining service quality is a difficult task, also operationalising and measuring such an elusive concept can never be done perfectly due to a number of problems. Given the 'soft' nature of service quality, most prior research has focused on survey-based methods, which while being essential have serious flaws owed to this method's inherent lack of reliability. Following suggestions by prior research in the field, this paper develops an assessment framework combining a 'soft' indicator based on a SERVQUAL survey with a set of 'hard' variables adding the reliability, which previous approaches lack. The indicator was initially developed, tested and re-adjusted for measuring service quality in Berlin's 40 B{\"u}rger{\"a}mter. However, it can be adapted in a way that it is applicable to most customer-based government services. The 'soft' part of this indicator was developed on the lines of five dimensions, scoring services according to their tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy. On the 'hard' dimension, we have picked a set of eleven variables, which unequivocally add/subtract from service quality, while having the advantage of being measured in a straightforward manner. While the operationalisation and weighting of these variables is open to academic and professional debate, we are confident to have followed a transparent and clearly comprehensible process. We acknowledge, however, that these variables will have to be adjusted when other services are being measured. All in all, the developed Service Quality Indicator for Customer-Based Public Services (SQI) should be regarded as a starting point for a comprehensive and easily constructible framework to assess service quality in the good governance arena. We hope that this indicator framework will be perfected to the point that it can contribute to a better overall measurement and therefore improvement of government services.}, language = {en} }