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 implementation of reform tools in the Oromia National Regional State, West Shewa Zone Ambo district governmental offices. To achieve this objective, both qualitative and quantitative research approaches were used. The researcher used both primary and secondary sources of data. Primary source of data were collected through questionnaires and interview while secondary source of data was reviewed from documents and reports on the implementation of the reform tools in Ambo district government offices. In the process of primary sources of data collection, 23 leaders for FGD, 179 employees were for questionnaire and 25 key experts were interviewed in depth. Both probability sampling (simple random sampling) and non-probability sampling (purposive 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 (65.2%) than that of employees understanding level (53.6). However, leaders moderately understood the concept of BSC (69.6%) and the Civil Service Change Army, employees understanding level of BSC (57%) 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 resist the implementation of the reform tools. Based on the findings the researcher recommended to effectively implement the all reform tools (BPR, BSC, CA, and CC), 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’ bases their field of education. Finally, motivate employees and avoid resistance of employees in the reform tools implementation, the public organization leaders have to have consistent system of recognizing or rewarding best performers in the implementation of the reform tools. In addition they have to practice delegation and decentralization of authorities in their organizations.
