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

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24136/eq.2023.014

Keywords:

organizational resilience, public service, impact assessment, structural equation modeling

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.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Adobor, H., Darbi, W. P. K., & Damoah, O. B. O. (2021). Strategy in the era of "swans": The role of strategic leadership under uncertainty and unpredictabil-ity. Journal of Strategy and Management. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1108/ JSMA-09-2020-0242. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JSMA-09-2020-0242
View in Google Scholar

Anggadwita, G., Permatasari, A., Alamanda, D. T., & Profityo, W. B. (2022). Ex-ploring women's initiatives for family business resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Family Business Management. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1108/JFBM-02-2022-0014. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JFBM-02-2022-0014
View in Google Scholar

Aragao, J., & Fontana, M. (2022). Outsourcing strategies in public services under budgetary constraints: Analysing perceptions of public managers. Public Organization Review, 22(1), 61–77. doi: 10.1007/s11115-021-00517-5. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11115-021-00517-5
View in Google Scholar

Arsawan, I. W. E., Koval, V., Suhartanto, D., Harbar, Z., & Maslennikov, Y. (2022). Employee-driven innovation capability: The role of knowledge, creativity, and time sufficiency. Intellectual Economics, 16(2), 138–165. doi: 10.13165/IE-22-16-2-08. DOI: https://doi.org/10.13165/IE-22-16-2-08
View in Google Scholar

Bartuseviciene, I., Rakauskiene, O., & Valackiene, A. (2023). Assessing the resili-ence of organizations in the context of uncertainty. Measuring Business Excel-lence, 27(2), 211–226. doi: 10.1108/MBE-05-2022-0066. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/MBE-05-2022-0066
View in Google Scholar

Bright, L. (2021). Does person organization fit and person-job fit mediate the rela-tionship between public service motivation and work stress among U.S. feder-al employees? Administrative Sciences, 11(2), 37. doi: 10.3390/admsci11020037. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci11020037
View in Google Scholar

Brykman, K. M., & King, D. D. (2021). A resource model of team resilience capaci-ty and learning. Group & Organization Management, 46(4), 737–772. doi: 10.1177/10 596011211018008. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/10596011211018008
View in Google Scholar

Butkus, M., Rakauskiene, O. G., Bartuseviciene, I., Stasiukynas, A., Volodzkiene, L., & Dargenyte-Kacileviciene, L. (2023). Measuring quality perception of pub-lic services: Customer-oriented approach. Engineering Management in Production and Services, 15(2), 96–117. doi: 10.2478/emj-2023-0016. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/emj-2023-0015
View in Google Scholar

Chang, J. S., Jung, D., Jun, S., & Oh, H. (2020). Resilience conceptual framework for assessing the performance of transit service. International Journal of Urban Sciences, 24(3), 339–353. doi: 10.1080/12265934.2019.1687319. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/12265934.2019.1687319
View in Google Scholar

Chui, C. H. (2022). Opportunities for organizational learning and innovation: A nonprofit case study during COVID‐19 in Hong Kong. Nonprofit Management & Leadership, 33(2), 441–452. doi: 10.1002/nml.21528. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/nml.21528
View in Google Scholar

Clement, S., Moore, S., Lockwood, M., & Mitchell, M. (2015). Using insights from pragmatism to develop reforms that strengthen institutional competence for conserving biodiversity. Policy Sciences, 48(4), 463–489. doi: 10.1007/s11077-015-9222-0. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11077-015-9222-0
View in Google Scholar

Darkow, P. M. (2019). Beyond "bouncing back": Towards an integral, capability-based understanding of organizational resilience. Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management, 27(2), 145–156. doi: 10.1111/1468-5973.12246. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-5973.12246
View in Google Scholar

Du, J., Peng, Y., Tong, Y., & Bilan, Y. (2022). Impact of enterprise ambidexterity capability and experience learning on cross-border M&A performance: evi-dence from China. Oeconomia Copernicana, 13(4), 1177–1214. doi: 10.24136/oc.2022.034. DOI: https://doi.org/10.24136/oc.2022.034
View in Google Scholar

Duit, A. (2016). Resilience thinking: Lessons for public administration. Public Administration, 94(2), 364–380. doi: 10.1111/padm.12182. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/padm.12182
View in Google Scholar

Ebrahimi, S., & Bridgelall, R. (2021). A fuzzy Delphi analytic hierarchy model to rank factors influencing public transit mode choice: a case study. Research in Transportation Business & Management, 39, 100496. doi: 10.1016/j.rtbm.2020.100 496. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rtbm.2020.100496
View in Google Scholar

Elston, T., & Bel, G. (2023). Does inter-municipal collaboration improve public service resilience? Evidence from local authorities in England. Public Manage-ment Review, 25(4), 734–761. doi: 10.1080/14719037.2021.2012377. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14719037.2021.2012377
View in Google Scholar

Fehrer, J. A., & Bove, L. L. (2022). Viewpoint: Shaping resilient service ecosystems in times of crises – a trans-Tasman perspective. Journal of Services Marketing, 36(4), 489–498. doi: 10.1108/JSM-06-2021-0216. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JSM-06-2021-0216
View in Google Scholar

Fischer, C., Siegel, J., Proeller, I., & Drathschmidt, N. (2023). Resilience through digitalisation: How individual and organisational resources affect public em-ployees working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Public Management Review, 25(4), 808–835. doi: 10.1080/14719037.2022.2037014. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14719037.2022.2037014
View in Google Scholar

Gonçalves, L., Navarro, J. B., & Sala, R. (2019). Spanish validation of the bench-mark resilience tool (short-form version) to evaluate organisational resilience. Safety Science, 111, 94–101. doi: 10.1016/j.ssci.2018.09.015 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2018.09.015
View in Google Scholar

Gu, W. (2023). Impact of managers' overconfidence upon listed firms' entrepre-neurial behavior in an emerging market. Journal of Business Research, 155(Part B), 113453. doi: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.113453. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.113453
View in Google Scholar

Herrero, M., & Kraemer, S. (2022). Beyond survival mode: Organizational resili-ence capabilities in nonprofit arts and culture fundraising during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nonprofit Management & Leadership, 33(2), 279–295. doi: 10.1002/nml. 21524. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/nml.21524
View in Google Scholar

Hoegl, M., & Hartmann, S. (2021). Bouncing back, if not beyond: Challenges for research on resilience. Asian Business & Management, 20(4), 456–464. doi: 10.1057 /s41291-020-00133-z. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/s41291-020-00133-z
View in Google Scholar

Kallias, A., Kallias, K., Tsalkamas, I., & Zhang, S. (2023). One size does not fit all: The conditional role of CEO education on IPO performance. Journal of Business Research, 157, 113560. doi: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.113560. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.113560
View in Google Scholar

Kirsop-Taylor, N. (2022). Leaping forwards, bouncing forwards, or just bouncing back: Resilience in environmental public agencies through after the austerity decade. Environmental Management, 70(5), 697–709. doi: 10.1007/s00267-022-01701-z. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-022-01701-z
View in Google Scholar

Leite, H., & Hodgkinson, I. R. (2021). Examining resilience across a service ecosys-tem under crisis. Public Management Review, 25(4), 690–709. doi: 10.1080/14719 037.2021.2012375. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14719037.2021.2012375
View in Google Scholar

Lund, C. S., & Andersen, L. B. (2022). Professional development leadership in turbulent times. Public Administration, 101(1), 124–141. doi: 10.1111/padm.12854. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/padm.12854
View in Google Scholar

MacLean, D., & Titah, R. (2022). A systematic literature review of empirical re-search on the impacts of e-government: A public value perspective. Public Administration Review, 82(1), 23–38. doi: 10.1111/puar.13413. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.13413
View in Google Scholar

Mardaras, E., Artola, G., Duarte, S., & Otegi-Olaso, J. R. (2021). Antifragile philos-ophy in R&D projects: Applying Q Methodology and the possibility of open innovation. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 7(4), 209. doi: 10.3390/joitmc7040209. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/joitmc7040209
View in Google Scholar

Mazzucato, M., & Kattel, R. (2020). COVID-19 and public-sector capacity. Oxford Review of Economic Policy, 36, 256–269. doi: 10.1093/oxrep/graa031. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/oxrep/graa031
View in Google Scholar

Mithani, M. A., Gopalakrishnan, S., & Santoro, M. D. (2021). Does exposure to a traumatic event make organizations resilient? Long Range Planning, 54(3), 102031. doi: 10.1016/j.lrp.2020.102031. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lrp.2020.102031
View in Google Scholar

Näswall, K., Malinen, S., Kuntz, J., & Hodliffe, M. (2019). Employee resilience: Development and validation of a measure. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 34(5), 353–367. doi: 10.1108/JMP-02-2018-0102. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JMP-02-2018-0102
View in Google Scholar

OECD (2021). Public employment and management 2021: The future of the public service. OECD. doi: 10.1787/938f0d65-en DOI: https://doi.org/10.1787/938f0d65-en
View in Google Scholar

Orth, D., & Schuldis, P. M. (2021). Organizational learning and unlearning capa-bilities for resilience during COVID-19. Learning Organization, 28(6), 509–522. doi: 10.1108/TLO-07-2020-0130. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/TLO-07-2020-0130
View in Google Scholar

Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V. A., & Berry, L. L. (1985). A conceptual model of service quality and its implications for future research. Journal of Marketing, 49(4), 41–50. doi: 10.1177/002224298504900403. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/002224298504900403
View in Google Scholar

Philipsen, S., Stamhuis, E., & de Jong, M. (2021). Legal enclaves as a test environ-ment for innovative products: Toward legally resilient experimentation poli-cies. Regulation & Governance, 15(4), 1128–1143. doi: 10.1111/rego.12375. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/rego.12375
View in Google Scholar

Phillips, W., Roehrich, J. K., & Kapletia, D. (2023). Responding to information asymmetry in crisis situations: Innovation in the time of the COVID-19 pan-demic. Public Management Review, 25(1), 175–198. doi: 10.1080/14719037.2021.1960737. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14719037.2021.1960737
View in Google Scholar

Plimmer, G., Berman, E. M., Malinen, S., Franken, E., Naswall, K., Kuntz, J., & Löfgren, K. (2022). Resilience in public sector managers. Review of Public Personnel Administration, 42(2), 338–367. doi: 10.1177/0734371X20985105. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0734371X20985105
View in Google Scholar

Rajala, T., & Jalonen, H. (2023). Stress tests for public service resilience: Introduc-ing the possible-worlds thinking. Public Management Review, 25(4), 762–786. doi: 10.1080/14719037.2022.2048686. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14719037.2022.2048686
View in Google Scholar

Reichenbach, R., Lynn, J., & Heeg, J. (2021). Learning amid disruption: Bouncing forward into a changed world. Foundation Review, 13(3), 30–46. doi: 10.9707/ 1944-5660.1577. DOI: https://doi.org/10.9707/1944-5660.1577
View in Google Scholar

Rochet, C., Keramidas, O., & Bout, L. (2008). Crisis as change strategy in public organizations. International Review of Administrative Sciences, 74(1), 65–77. doi: 10.1177/0020852307085734. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0020852307085734
View in Google Scholar

Roemer, K. F., & Haggerty, J. H. (2022). The energy transition as fiscal rupture: Public services and resilience pathways in a coal company town. Energy Re-search & Social Science, 91, 102752. doi: 10.1016/j.erss.2022.102752. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2022.102752
View in Google Scholar

Shaw, K. (2012). The rise of the resilient local authority? Local Government Studies, 38(3), 281–300. doi: 10.1080/03003930.2011.642869. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/03003930.2011.642869
View in Google Scholar

Slaymaker, R. R., O'Byrne, K. K., & Williams, P. E. (2022). The influence of socio-cognitive mindfulness and resilience on middle managers' stress and thriving during COVID-19: Results from two studies. Journal of Management Develop-ment, 42(1), 54–75. doi: 10.1108/JMD-05-2022-0112. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JMD-05-2022-0112
View in Google Scholar

Šperka, R., & Halaška, M. (2017). The impact of sales service in MAREA trading simulation under changing environment circumstances. Equilibrium. Quarterly Journal of Economics and Economic Policy, 12(2), 355–371. doi: 10.24136/eq.v12i2.19. DOI: https://doi.org/10.24136/eq.v12i2.19
View in Google Scholar

Termeer, C. J. A. M., & van den Brink, M. A. (2013). Organizational conditions for dealing with the unknown unknown. Public Management Review, 15(1), 43–62. doi: 10.1080/14719037.2012.664014. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14719037.2012.664014
View in Google Scholar

Ticlau, T., Hintea, C., & Trofin, C. (2021). Resilient leadership. Qualitative study on factors influencing organizational resilience and adaptive response to ad-versity. Transylvanian Review of Administrative Sciences, 2021(Special issue), 127–143. doi: 10.24193/tras.si2021.7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.24193/tras.SI2021.7
View in Google Scholar

Van Loon, N. (2016). Is public service motivation related to overall and dimen-sional work-unit performance as indicated by supervisors? International Public Management Journal, 19(1), 78–110. doi: 10.1080/10967494.2015.1064839. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10967494.2015.1064839
View in Google Scholar

Verlinden, S., Wynen, J., Kleizen, B., & Verhoest, K. (2022). Blurred lines: Explor-ing the impact of change complexity on role clarity in the public sector. Review of Public Personnel Administration. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1177/073 4371X221093573. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0734371X221093573
View in Google Scholar

Vigoda-Gadot, E., Cohen, N., & Mizrahi, S. (2022). Battling COVID-19: Public personnel management, trust, and social resilience during a global crisis. Re-view of Public Personnel Administration. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1177/07343 71X221111479. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0734371X221111479
View in Google Scholar

Waithaka, D., Kagwanja, N., Nzinga, J., Tsofa, B., Leli, H., Mataza, C., Nyaguara, A., Bejon, P., Gilson, L., Barasa, E., & Molyneux, S. (2020). Prolonged health worker strikes in Kenya- perspectives and experiences of frontline health managers and local communities in Kilifi County. International Journal for Equi-ty in Health, 19(1), 23. doi: 10.1186/s12939-020-1131-y. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-020-1131-y
View in Google Scholar

Węgrzyn, J. (2018). Does experience exert impact on a public-private partnership performance? The case of Poland. Equilibrium. Quarterly Journal of Economics and Economic Policy, 13(3), 509–522. doi: 10.24136/eq.2018.025. DOI: https://doi.org/10.24136/eq.2018.025
View in Google Scholar

Whitman, Z., Kachali, H., Roger, D., Vargo, J., & Seville, E. (2013). Short-form version of the Benchmark Resilience Tool (BRT-53). Measuring Business Excel-lence, 17(3), 3–14. doi: 10.1108/MBE-05-2012-0030. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/MBE-05-2012-0030
View in Google Scholar

Ziakis, C., & Kydros, D. (2022). Using machine learning models to investigate consumer attitudes toward online behavioral advertising. Intellectual Economics, 16(2), 61–75. doi: 10.13165/IE-22-16-2-04. DOI: https://doi.org/10.13165/IE-22-16-2-04
View in Google Scholar

Downloads

Published

30-06-2023

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Butkus, M., Schiuma, G., Bartuševičienė, I., Rakauskiene, O. G., Volodzkiene, L., & Dargenyte-Kacileviciene, L. (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, 18(2), 461-489. https://doi.org/10.24136/eq.2023.014

Similar Articles

1-10 of 290

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.