Title: A Six Sigma approach to measure service quality in key dependencies of a government ministry

Authors: Tomás Fontalvo-Herrera; Enrique Delahoz-Dominguez; Yulibeth Gonzalez

Addresses: Industrial Administration Program, Faculty of Economics Sciences, University of Cartagena, Cartagena, 130015, Colombia ' Engineering Faculty, Industrial Engineering Department, Universidad Tecnológica de Bolívar, Cartagena, 130010, Colombia ' Faculty of Economics Sciences Industrial Administration Program, University of Cartagena, Cartagena, 130015, Colombia

Abstract: This research proposes a method for measuring the quality of service to citizens about Complaints, Claims, and Suggestions addressed to the dependencies of a Government Ministry. The proposed method is applied using the information from the Information and Management System for Democratic Governance and the reports generated in the Complaints System of the Ministry of Government in Colombia. This paper proposes an evaluative-quantitative approach, implementing the Six Sigma metrics as elements of measurement and control. The periods between 2017 and 2018 were studied. As a finding, opportunities for improvement were objectively evidenced in the Legal Counsel Office and the Directorate for Democracy and Participation with sigma level values of 2.42 and 3.2 respectively. As a significant contribution, a data-driven approach is delivered to the international academic community to assess the quality of service in public entities that allow evaluating the different departments of a public entity in an objective, replicable and reproducible way.

Keywords: service quality; Six Sigma; management; public sector; assessment of service; public service; service dimensions; quality metrics.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTPM.2021.119701

International Journal of Technology, Policy and Management, 2021 Vol.21 No.4, pp.317 - 332

Received: 16 May 2020
Accepted: 31 Aug 2020

Published online: 16 Dec 2021 *

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