Goal Ambiguity Public Service Performance and Strategy Content in local Government; a mixed method study

This thesis researched the relationship of goal ambiguity, public service performance and strategy content in Dutch municipalities. This study tested whether (a) high levels of mission comprehension, directive, evaluative and priority goal ambiguity negatively influence the public service performance of Dutch municipalities and whether (b) the strategic orientation of a Dutch municipality affects the relationship of goal ambiguity and public service performance. This was tested in 85 Dutch municipalities with a single survey and four semi-structured interviews. The four types of goal ambiguity were measured according to Chun & Rainey’s goal ambiguity framework. Quality, cost-effectiveness, efficiency, staff satisfaction, responsiveness, effectiveness, equity and promoting the social, economic and environmental well-being of local people were included as public service performance dimensions. Strategy content was measured with the prospector, defender and reactor strategies. The results suggest that low levels of mission comprehension and priority goal ambiguity positively contribute to the public service performance of Dutch municipalities. In contrast to mission comprehension and priority goal ambiguity, low levels of directive goal ambiguity diminish the public service performance of Dutch municipalities, whereas no causal relationships were observed between evaluative goal ambiguity and public service performance. However, the quantitative analysis only identified causal relationships with the quality of policies and effectiveness of Dutch municipalities. Whereas the semi-structured interviews also identified relationships with cost-effectiveness, efficiency, staff satisfaction, responsiveness and promoting the social, economic and environmental well-being of local people. The results of this study also showed that strategy content does not affect the relationship of goal ambiguity and public service performance.