Original Research

Proposing a competitive intelligence (CI) framework for Public Service departments to enhance service delivery

Nisha Sewdass
South African Journal of Information Management | Vol 14, No 1 | a491 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/sajim.v14i1.491 | © 2012 Nisha Sewdass | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 26 July 2011 | Published: 04 July 2012

About the author(s)

Nisha Sewdass, University of Pretoria, South Africa

Abstract

Background: The aim of public service departments in South Africa is to improve service delivery through the transformation and improvement of human resources and the improvement of service delivery practices. Furthermore, it is important for the public service sector in South Africa to improve the quality of its service delivery, not only by comparing its performance with other sectors within South Africa but also by positioning itself amongst the best in the world. This can be achieved by benchmarking with other global industries and by implementing the most recent competitive intelligence strategies, tools and techniques. The environment of the public service organisations consists of competitive forces that impact the functioning of these organisations.

Objectives: This article focuses on proposing competitive intelligence-related strategies, tools and techniques for gathering and analysing information in the public service departments in South Africa in order to enhance service delivery.

Method: The study was qualitative in nature and was divided into two components, namely, (1) theoretical – through an extensive review of the literature and (2) empirical – an ethnographic study at the chosen public service department, the Department of Home Affairs (DHA). Ethnographic interviews with management-level staff, focus groups and document analysis were used to obtain adequate information to determine the current state of public service delivery in South Africa.

Results: The results of the study was the development of a new competitive intelligencerelated framework for gathering and analysing information, and it represents a formal and systematic process of informing managers in public service departments about critical issues that these departments face or are likely to experience in future.

Conclusion: The strategic planning tools and techniques of this framework will fill the gap that exists in public service departments. Once this framework has been implemented, it could assist these departments to improve service delivery to its citizens.


Keywords

Competitive Intelligence; Competitive Intelligence Framework; Public Services; Public service delivery

Metrics

Total abstract views: 8891
Total article views: 17032

 

Crossref Citations

1. Employees perception on improving service delivery in the department of public works
Gugu Precious Mathaba, Ian Nzimakwe, Pfano Mashau, Elias Munapo
Journal of Governance and Regulation  vol: 4  issue: 4  first page: 507  year: 2015  
doi: 10.22495/jgr_v4_i4_c4_p8