A multi agent based simulation for the evaluation of public services: the role of customers

Abstract

The number of survey about customer satisfaction on public services has increased in the last years. However, in the evaluation of the public services hardly this perspective has been taken into account. This dissertation aims at analysing the customer perspective through the value for customer concept. Most models presented in literature assume that in the evaluation of the public services only two stakeholders have to be considered. In the model here presented three stakeholders have been considered, namely public authority, users, and supplier. This means that the concept of customer satisfaction has to be evaluated with reference to both, citizens and public authority. A conceptual model is suggested which outlines the antecedents of the customer satisfaction and the gaps regarding citizen satisfaction and public authority expectations. The validity of such a model has been tested through a series of case studies concerning waste collection services in the Great Britain and Italy. Finally, a multi agent based model has been developed to simulate the interactions among the stakeholders of the public services.