Application and Effectiveness of New Public Management in National Water and Sewerage Corporation

Abstract

Worldwide, public uti liti es are undergoing reforms, including the adopti on of New Public Management (NPM)-a managerial strategy that departs from monopolisti c forms of public uti liti es to argue for the adopti on of market-oriented approaches to the provision of social services. In Uganda, Nati onal Water and Sewerage Corporati on (NWSC) is reported to be applying principles of the strategy. Hitherto, however, research had not been conducted into whether the corporati on's management typifi es the applicati on of these principles and, if it does, what the results of doing so have been. This study was, therefore, conducted to examine the applicati on of these principles in the corporati on and assess the level of customers' sati sfacti on with the corporati on's services, with the view to highlight the link between the two, if any. Data were collected through documentary analysis; survey of the corporati on's customers' sati sfacti on with its services; and interview, of some of the corporati on's managers. The fi ndings were that, with a few excepti ons, the corporati on applies the principles of NPM (i.e. autonomy, accountability, customer orientati on and market orientati on); and that the applicati on of these principles has enhanced customer sati sfacti on. It is, therefore, recommended that the corporati on increases its adherence to the principles. In additi on, NPM is recommended to organizati ons that are similar to NWSC.