Abstract:
The Civil Service Reform Program in Ethiopia has been implemented through successive and
aligned tools like BPR, BSC, the Citizens‟ Charter and the Civil Service Change Army to ensure
efficiency and effectiveness in performance and service delivery. However, there are obstacles in
the implementation of these reform tools. Hence, this study was conducted to assess the
employees‟ and leaders‟ perceptions towards the reform tools in the Oromia National Regional
State, West Shewa Zone AmboDistrict public offices. To achieve this objective, both qualitative
and quantitative research approaches were used. The researcher used both primary and secondary
sources of data. Primary data were collected through questionnaires and interview while
secondary data was collected from documents and reports on the implementation of the reform
tools in Ambo woreda government offices. In the process of primary data collection, 23 leaders
for FGD, 179 employees were for questionnaire and 25 key experts were interviewed in depth.
Both probability sampling and non-probability sampling techniques were used.It was analyzed
based on descriptive statistics using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 24
through the means of frequency count and percentages by displaying in tables and graphs to
check the differences of the ratings of responses.The results of this study revealed that leaders
and employees seem not to have a detailed understanding of the reform tools. Specially, leaders‟
understanding level of BPR seems to be less than that of employees understanding level.
However, leaders moderately understood the concept of BSC and the Civil Service Change
Army, employees understanding level of BSC and the Civil Service Change Army is moderate
and low respectively. Leaders and employees seem not to have a good perception of the reform
tools, and they perceive the concept of the Citizens‟ Charter differently. On the other hand,
organizations do not have an adequate system of recognizing best performers and employees are
not effectively communicated the reform tools implementation that could make employees to
resist the implementation of the reform tools. Finally, the researcher recommended to effectively
implement the reform tools, Oromia National Regional State has to formulate directives that can
be binding in appointing leaders on the base of their educational background.Furthermore, Policy
makers have to formulate policies that make placement of employees‟ and appointment of the
leaders‟ base their field of education.
