IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/pes/ierequ/v18y2023i2p461-489.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The impact of organizational resilience on the quality of public services: Application of structural equation modeling

Author

Listed:
  • Mindaugas Butkus

    (Mykolas Romeris University, Lithuania)

  • Giovanni Schiuma

    (Libera Universita Mediterranea, Italy)

  • Ilona Bartuseviciene

    (Mykolas Romeris University, Lithuania)

  • Ona Grazina Rakauskiene

    (Mykolas Romeris University, Lithuania)

  • Lina Volodzkiene

    (Mykolas Romeris University, Lithuania)

  • Laura Dargenyte-Kacileviciene

    (Mykolas Romeris University, Lithuania)

Abstract

Research background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, public sector entities encountered extraordinary difficulties in maintaining the delivery of public services. They were ill-equipped to operate in the unpredictable circumstances of the pandemic, causing a significant impact on the accessibility and quality of public services. This scenario also highlighted the importance of the resilience of the public sector, which entails an organization’s capacity to function in a crisis setting and uncover opportunities that might not have been evident during normal circumstances. Purpose of the article: This study aims to assess development trends within public sector resilience and their impact on the quality of public services. As resilience is realized through a three-phase prism — i.e., Planning, Adaptation, and Enhanced Learning — we hypothesize that Adaptation is endogenously interrelated with Planning and positively affects Enhanced Learning, which in turn positively impacts Service Quality. Methods: Two successive surveys were carried out to examine the links between organizational resilience and Service Quality in the public sector. The first involved interviewing 401 senior managers of the organizations that provide public services in Lithuania to assess their level of organizational resilience. The second survey involved questioning individuals aged 18 and above who had used the services of the previously surveyed organizations. In total, 3,609 public service users were interviewed to gather data on Service Quality. Structural equation modeling was performed to analyze the data collected. Findings & value added: The results of structural equation modeling revealed that Enhanced Learning positively and significantly affects Service Quality. The findings of this study suggest that the bounce-back stage of organizational resilience, i.e., Adaptation, indirectly affects Service Quality through the bounce-forward stage, i.e., Enhanced Learning. Thus, Enhanced Learning acts both as an accelerator of Service Quality and as a moderator of the effect that other stages of organizational resilience have on Service Quality. The primary contribution of this article is its discovery that Service Quality develops from Enhanced Learning, implying that the optimal approach to service provision is based on both newly acquired knowledge and experience gained during challenging times. This enables organizations to transform their service delivery in response to the realities of changing circumstances, thereby creating opportunities to prepare for future challenges from the standpoint of a new equilibrium.

Suggested Citation

  • Mindaugas Butkus & Giovanni Schiuma & Ilona Bartuseviciene & Ona Grazina Rakauskiene & Lina Volodzkiene & Laura Dargenyte-Kacileviciene, 2023. "The impact of organizational resilience on the quality of public services: Application of structural equation modeling," Equilibrium. Quarterly Journal of Economics and Economic Policy, Institute of Economic Research, vol. 18(2), pages 461-489, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:pes:ierequ:v:18:y:2023:i:2:p:461-489
    DOI: 10.24136/eq.2023.014
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.24136/eq.2023.014
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.24136/eq.2023.014?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Justin S. Chang & Dongjae Jung & Seohee Jun & Hyerim Oh, 2020. "Resilience conceptual framework for assessing the performance of transit service," International Journal of Urban Sciences, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(3), pages 339-353, July.
    2. Stefan Philipsen & Evert F. Stamhuis & Martin de Jong, 2021. "Legal enclaves as a test environment for innovative products: Toward legally resilient experimentation policies," Regulation & Governance, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 15(4), pages 1128-1143, October.
    3. Caroline Fischer & John Siegel & Isabella Proeller & Nicolas Drathschmidt, 2023. "Resilience through digitalisation: How individual and organisational resources affect public employees working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic," Public Management Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(4), pages 808-835, April.
    4. Wendy Phillips & Jens K. Roehrich & Dharm Kapletia, 2023. "Responding to information asymmetry in crisis situations: innovation in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic," Public Management Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(1), pages 175-198, January.
    5. João Paulo Santos Aragão & Marcele Elisa Fontana, 2022. "Outsourcing Strategies in Public Services under Budgetary Constraints: Analysing Perceptions of Public Managers," Public Organization Review, Springer, vol. 22(1), pages 61-77, March.
    6. Leonard Bright, 2021. "Does Person Organization Fit and Person-Job Fit Mediate the Relationship between Public Service Motivation and Work Stress among U.S. Federal Employees?," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-13, April.
    7. Martin Hoegl & Silja Hartmann, 2021. "Bouncing back, if not beyond: Challenges for research on resilience," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 20(4), pages 456-464, September.
    8. Catrien J.A.M. Termeer & Margo A. van den Brink, 2013. "Organizational Conditions for Dealing with The Unknown Unknown," Public Management Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(1), pages 43-62, January.
    9. Kallias, Antonios & Kallias, Konstantinos & Tsalkamas, Ioannis & Zhang, Song, 2023. "One size does not fit all: The conditional role of CEO education on IPO performance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    10. Tomi Rajala & Harri Jalonen, 2023. "Stress tests for public service resilience: introducing the possible-worlds thinking," Public Management Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(4), pages 762-786, April.
    11. Sarah Clement & Susan Moore & Michael Lockwood & Michael Mitchell, 2015. "Using insights from pragmatism to develop reforms that strengthen institutional competence for conserving biodiversity," Policy Sciences, Springer;Society of Policy Sciences, vol. 48(4), pages 463-489, December.
    12. Joanna Wegrzyn, 2018. "Does experience exert impact on a public-private partnership performance? The case of Poland," Equilibrium. Quarterly Journal of Economics and Economic Policy, Institute of Economic Research, vol. 13(3), pages 509-522, September.
    13. Thomas Elston & Germà Bel, 2023. "Does inter-municipal collaboration improve public service resilience? Evidence from local authorities in England," Public Management Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(4), pages 734-761, April.
    14. Mariana Mazzucato & Rainer Kattel, 2020. "COVID-19 and public-sector capacity," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 36(Supplemen), pages 256-269.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jorge Luis Tonetto & Adelar Fochezatto & Josep Miquel Pique, 2023. "The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Use of the Menor Preço Brasil Application," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-19, October.
    2. Leonard Bright, 2022. "Why Does PSM Lead to Higher Work Stress? Exploring the Role that Organizational Identity Theory has on the Relationship between Public Service Motivation and External-Related Stress among Federal Gove," Public Organization Review, Springer, vol. 22(3), pages 803-820, September.
    3. Okubo, Toshihiro, 2022. "Traveling and eating out during the COVID-19 pandemic: The Go To campaign policies in Japan," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    4. Mark Rhinard & Claudia Morsut & Elisabeth Angell & Simon Neby & Mathilda Englund & Karina Barquet & Heleen Mees & Jana Surian & Swapnil Vashishtha & Lisa Segnestam & Ole Andreas Hegland Engen, 2024. "Understanding variation in national climate change adaptation: Securitization in focus," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 42(4), pages 676-696, June.
    5. John R Bryson & Chloe Billing & Mark Tewdwr-Jones, 2023. "Urban infrastructure patching: Citizen-led solutions to infrastructure ruptures," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 60(10), pages 1932-1948, August.
    6. Katona, Márton & Petrovics, Nándor, 2021. "Válság és együttműködés. A koronavírus-járvány okozta lehetséges intézményi változások és a kooperatív közszolgáltatások [Crisis and cooperation: possible institutional changes caused by the corona," Közgazdasági Szemle (Economic Review - monthly of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences), Közgazdasági Szemle Alapítvány (Economic Review Foundation), vol. 0(1), pages 76-95.
    7. Hui Zhang & Huiying Ding & Jianying Xiao, 2023. "How Organizational Agility Promotes Digital Transformation: An Empirical Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-13, July.
    8. Sierk Horn & Tomoki Sekiguchi & Matthias Weiss, 2021. "Thrown off track? Adjustments of Asian business to shock events," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 20(4), pages 435-455, September.
    9. Albert Sanghoon Park, 2023. "Building resilience knowledge for sustainable development: Insights from development studies," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2023-33, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    10. Cortés-Capano, Gonzalo & Hanley, Nick & Sheremet, Oleg & Hausmann, Anna & Toivonen, Tuuli & Garibotto-Carton, Gustavo & Soutullo, Alvaro & Di Minin, Enrico, 2021. "Assessing landowners’ preferences to inform voluntary private land conservation: The role of non-monetary incentives," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    11. Ronit Justo-Hanani & Tamar Dayan, 2021. "Risk regulation and precaution in Europe and the United States: the case of bioinvasion," Policy Sciences, Springer;Society of Policy Sciences, vol. 54(1), pages 3-20, March.
    12. Ahmad Nasser Abuzaid & Mohammed Yasin Ghadi & Saif-aldeen Marwan Madadha & Manal Mohammad Alateeq, 2024. "The Effect of Ethical Leadership on Innovative Work Behaviors: A Mediating–Moderating Model of Psychological Empowerment, Job Crafting, Proactive Personality, and Person–Organization Fit," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-20, August.
    13. Giordino, Daniele & Jabeen, Fauzia & Nirino, Niccolò & Bresciani, Stefano, 2024. "Institutional investors ownership concentration and its effect on disclosure and transparency of United Nations sustainable development goals," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    14. Antonio Moreno & Steven Ongena & Alexia Ventula Veghazy & Alexander F. Wagner, 2024. "“Long GFC”? The global financial crisis, health care, and COVID‐19 deaths," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 62(2), pages 865-891, April.
    15. Sha, Kritika & Taeihagh, Araz & De Jong, Martin, 2024. "Governing disruptive technologies for inclusive development in cities: A systematic literature review," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 203(C).
    16. Michael O’Donnell & Sue Williamson & Michael Johnson, 2022. "Introduction to the Themed collection: Public sector employment relations in turbulent times," The Economic and Labour Relations Review, , vol. 33(1), pages 12-17, March.
    17. Gabriel Weber & Ignazio Cabras & Paola Ometto & Ana Maria Peredo, 2021. "Direct Management of COVID-19 at National and Subnational Level: The Case of the Western Amazon Countries," Public Organization Review, Springer, vol. 21(4), pages 741-757, December.
    18. Focacci, Chiara Natalie & Perez, Carlota, 2022. "The importance of education and training policies in supporting technological revolutions: A comparative and historical analysis of UK, US, Germany, and Sweden (1830–1970)," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    19. Kathya Lorena Cordova-Pozo & Hubert P. L. M. Korzilius & Etiënne A. J. A. Rouwette & Gabriela Píriz & Rolando Herrera-Gutierrez & Graciela Cordova-Pozo & Miguel Orozco, 2021. "Using Systems Dynamics for Capturing the Multicausality of Factors Affecting Health System Capacity in Latin America while Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-19, September.
    20. Moreno Ibáñez, Antonio & Ongena, Steven & Ventula Veghazy, Alexia & Wagner, Alexander F., 2022. "“Long GFC†? The Global Financial Crisis, Health Care, and COVID-19 Deaths," CEPR Discussion Papers 15900, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    organizational resilience; public service; impact assessment; structural equation modeling;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D81 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Criteria for Decision-Making under Risk and Uncertainty
    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:pes:ierequ:v:18:y:2023:i:2:p:461-489. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Adam P. Balcerzak (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/ibgtopl.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.