Business Process Re-engineering (BPR): A Tool for Improved Customer Service in Municipalities
Executive Summary This Paper attempts to identify the theoretical and conceptual concepts regarding the appropriateness of a private sector change management tool known as business process re-engineering (BPR) in local government. It will provide the reader with an understanding of the issues that may be involved in implementing business process re-engineering, a process originally developed in a private sector business context, in a public sector municipal context. Based upon an analysis of secondary and primary research, the Paper has identified evaluation criteria that can be used to measure the success or failure of business process re-engineering in the municipal context. Next the writer examines the relevancy and adaptability of business process re-engineering to local government based on case study findings. Given the primary and secondary research collected this Paper has drawn several conclusions about the factors that may contribute to the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of business process re-engineering in Ontario municipalities. A survey of 26 municipalities has shown that no clearly defined process or format exists for conducting re-engineering in Ontario municipalities. Although much of the secondary research pointed towards the failure of business process re-engineering at the public sector level, this writer could find little primary research evidence to support this theory. More research is required to determine if in fact the change processes that have occurred to date in municipalities that are perceived as having undergone a BPR are in fact a version of the traditional BPR. The analysis of whether the BPR model works in local government is still inconclusive and requires more research. One key finding from the four case studies was that the BPR processes resulted in a process improvement or process redesign rather than an organizational / transformation. Mississauga were using a similar process for conducting their BPR project. The challenges experienced by these municipalities were very similar to the issues identified in the private sector. Those municipalities who had completed the BPR identified numerous cost savings, efficiencies and improved customer service. The structure of this paper is as follows: Chapter 1 provides the research objectives and methodology; and the context, rationale and relevancy of the research topic to local government. Chapter 2 investigates the theoretical origins and definitions of BPR. Chapter 3 presents an overview of the BPR process, and it includes case studies and evaluation criteria to determine the success or failure of BPR project. Chapter 4 provides an analysis of the …