Responsiveness in Urban Service Delivery

Abstract

This article explores current conceptualizations of responsiveness, and argues that, while several levels of responsiveness (e.g., access, policy) are identified in the literature, the responsiveness concept is treatedfrom the perspective of a "consumer" model. Consequently, attention is directed toward satisfying citizen preferences, and the professional administrator's role in molding preferences and responding to "needs" as well as "preferences" is neglected. Excerptsfrom in-depth interviews ofpolice administrators are used to illustrate problems with the consumer approach to responsiveness in policy service delivery, and to suggest an alternative conceptualization that synthesizes the "preference satisfaction" approach with a "professional judgment of needs" approach.