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Reporting Multiple Dimensions of Public Service Performance: Information Order Effects on Citizens’ Willingness to Use Services

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  • Julian Christensen
  • ,
  • Oliver James, University of Exeter, United Kingdom

Performance information can facilitate user choice of public services and enhance accountability. However, the public sector’s multiple performance dimensions create a potential for order effects on users’ responses to information arising from the sequence of information reporting. We assess order effects using a randomized survey experiment. In a school performance scenario, we find recency effects meaning that information late in a sequence impacts more than the same information placed earlier on. The findings suggest the potential for strategic presentation of information by providers but also a beneficial nudge to help users focus on performance dimensions most salient to them.

Original languageEnglish
JournalPublic Management Review
Volume24
Issue1
Pages (from-to)142-157
Number of pages16
ISSN1471-9037
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2022

    Research areas

  • Performance information, behavioural public administration, order effects, recency effects, school choice, COGNITIVE BIASES, MANAGEMENT, MOTIVATION, CONTEXT, GOAL, POLICY, SATISFACTION, PREFERENCES

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