Leadership

Preview this template

QUESTIONNAIRE ON THE PRODUCTIVE ENGAGEMENT OF LEADERS IN GOVERNANCE AND DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

The purpose of this questionnaire is to solicit the views of respondents on the productive engagement of civic, corporate, and political leaders in governance and development process. The questions are structured, and mostly entail checking Yes/No responses.

Please contact Jide Balogun for any questions or comments.

Email: [email protected]

Phone: +1 917 367 5068

1.Do you believe that any of the following measures will promote citizen involvement in governance processes (Check YES or NO, as appropriate):

	Yes	No
(a) Regular involvement of citizens and/or their representatives in the identification of policy of policy and programme priorities	Yes	No

(b) Establishment of formal institutional mechanisms to facilitate citizen participation in	Yes	No

local-level development planning and management	Yes	No

	Yes	No

(c) Establishment of formal institutional mechanisms to facilitate citizen participation in national (i.e., Ministerial and Departmental) strategic planning process	Yes	No

(d) Reinforcement of the status of local power brokers and intermediaries (otherwise known as political ‘god fathers’)	Yes	No

(e) Investment in civic education programmes	Yes	No

(f) Incorporation of bottom-up methodologies in public service training curricula	Yes	No

(g) Involvement of the citizen in the evaluation of the performance of career officials (particularly, service delivery agents)	Yes	No

2. To what extent should citizens or their representatives be involved in budgeting and resource allocation decisions (check ONE ONLY):

(a) To the maximum extent possible (meaning that they should be present at all crucial meetings)

(b) To a large extent (meaning that their inputs should be actively solicited, and their submissions should be given full consideration by the Government at the budget formulation stage

(c) To a limited extent (meaning that only vocal and insistent demands should be considered at the budget formulation stage)

(d) To no extent, as “external interference” are potential causes of budget “distortions” which should on no account be entertained

Do you think that it is necessary to establish a special arrangement making it possible for disadvantaged groups to have their priorities reflected at the budget formulation and resource allocation stages ?

Yes

Do you think that it is necessary to establish a special arrangement enabling the poor to have their priorities reflected at the budget formulation and resource allocation stages?

Yes

Do you think that civic groups should have a role in checking or verifying the purposes/ends for which budget resources are allocated at the local level?

Yes

Do they (the civic groups) currently play this role?

Yes

Do you think that civic groups should have a role in verifying the purposes/ends for which budget resources are allocated at the national level?

Yes

Do you think that they currently play the role specified in paragraph 7 above?

Yes

Is it necessary for the Government to have a special initiative aimed at improving the quality and standards of services provided by various agencies?

Yes

Should the private sector be involved in the design and implementation of the initiative (and particularly, the identification of “customer service indicators)?

Yes

Should civil society be involved in the design and implementation of the initiative?

Yes

Should political god fathers have a role in the distribution of public amenities?

Yes

How should a service delivery initiative view and treat the citizen (CHECK ONLY ONE)?

Purely as a citizen – with rights and obligations?

Purely as a “customer” with preferences and “tastes”?

As both a citizen and a “customer”?

As neither?

As any other kind of individual (i.e.,_______________________________)?

Is it necessary to obtain the inputs of citizens and “customers” when developing indicators for the performance of public agencies?

Yes

Is it necessary to establish performance standards based on the citizen-determined performance indicators?

Yes

Should citizens and “customers” have any say at all in setting performance standards for public officials?

Yes

Should the opinions (and evaluations) of citizens and “customers” count when Ministries and Departments are taking decisions on the careers of service delivery agents (e.g., decisions on renewal of contracts, promotion, re-assignment, discipline)?

Yes

18.If citizen access to public officials and/or to the services that the officials provide is limited, where, in your own opinion, does the fault lie? Does the fault lie with (check YES or NO or DON’T KNOW against each of the following):

	Yes	No	Don't know
The generality of the people who have shown little or no interest in claiming their rights and fulfilling their obligations as citizens of an organized community?	Yes	No	Don't know

Individual citizens for choosing to approach public officials one by one rather than organize in groups to champion the cause of good governance?	Yes	No	Don't know

The press, for failing to provide adequate civic education?	Yes	No	Don't know

The elite, for failing to provide self-less and exemplary leadership?	Yes	No	Don't know

The civil service bureaucracy, for keeping processes cumbersome, bewildering, and mysterious?	Yes	No	Don't know

The political parties, for not educating their followers on the tenets of good governance?	Yes	No	Don't know

Do you think that public service professionalism serves a useful purpose? (Check YES/NO/NO OPINION)

Yes

No opinion one way of the other

20.Please check YES/NO against each of the following questions, as appropriate:

	Yes	No	Don't Know/No opinion
Is the application of merit in the selection of career officials necessary to maintain public service professionalism?	Yes	No	Don't Know/No opinion

Does the principle of “security of tenure” for career officials serve the cause of professionalism?	Yes	No	Don't Know/No opinion

Will performance contracting help promote the cause of professionalism?	Yes	No	Don't Know/No opinion

Are legal provisions on the representation of minorities and historically disadvantaged groups consistent with the principle of professionalism?	Yes	No	Don't Know/No opinion

21.Can you suggest ONE other measure which, in your opinion, will promote the cause of public service professionalism?

Should candidates for top policy making posts (such as Minister, Chairperson of State-owned Enterprises) be selected on the basis of their (Check ONE ONLY):

Professional qualifications and/or experience?

Track record as managers?

Political loyalty (and membership of a political party)?

Professional, and managerial competence as well as political loyalty?

Any other consideration (such as_____________________________________)?

Should candidates for policy advisory posts be selected on the basis of their (CHECK ONE ONLY):

Professional qualifications and/or experience?

Track record as managers?

Demonstrable political loyalty?

Professional and managerial competence as well as political loyalty?

Any other consideration (such as_____________________________________)?

Should candidates for senior career positions (such as Principal/Permanent Secretary) be selected on the basis of their (check ONE ONLY):

Professional qualifications and/or experience?

Track record as managers?

Demonstrable political loyalty?

Professional competence and political loyalty?

Any other consideration (such as_____________________________________)

Should the appointments of senior career officials be based on the principle of “security of tenure”? (Check Yes/No/No opinion)?

Yes

No opinion/Don't know

Is performance contracting for senior career officials feasible in the public service (Check YES/NO/NO OPINON)?

Yes

No opinion/Don't know

Which ONE of the following classes of appointments should be subject to periodic renewal (check ONE ONLY):

Politically sensitive posts?

Posts of Permanent Secretary and Heads of Department?

Posts entailing frequent contact with the public (e.g., senior law enforcement and customs administration posts)?

Senior judicial appointments (judges, magistrates, etc.)?

All of the above?

None of the above?

Will you say that the best way to make public administration responsive to the public is by (PLEASE CHECK ONE):

Strengthening the accountability of public officials to the citizens' elected representatives?

Ensuring full participation of the citizen in setting performance standards and evaluating officials against the standards?

Imposing term limits on certain classes of career positions?

Entrenchment of power rotation in the laws of the land (to ensure that every community has an opportunity to "taste" power)?

Subjecting certain classes of career appointments to direct election?

Introducing performance contracts for all classes of posts in the public service?

Introducing performance contracts for senior managers and professionals only?

Any other suggestion (_______________________________________________)?

In your view as an individual, should petitions against executive misconduct or tyranny be (please check ONLY ONE):

Investigated in an open and transparent manner?

Investigated only when serious allegations are levied?

Investigated only when public interest (and/or press coverage) becomes intense?

Rarely, if ever, investigated?

Assuming that a particular decision (say, on recruitment, tendering or procurement) is perceived to be unfair, how would you expect the person(s) adversely affected to react (please CHECK ONLY ONE):

fold their arms and do nothing?

enlist the support of powerful allies such as M.Ps., friends and relatives in high places, community leaders, etc.)?

take the case to party headquarters and ask the leaders to intervene on behalf of a specific applicant?

join hands with reform advocates and become a powerful movement for integrity in public life?

Grumble silently (or submit anonymous petitions)?

What is your own position on such contested decisions? Specifically, would you advise the aggrieved persons to (check ONE ONLY):

fold their arms and do nothing?

enlist the support of powerful allies such as M.Ps., friends and relatives in high places, community leaders, etc.)?

take the case to party headquarters and ask the leaders to intervene on behalf of a specific applicant?

join hands with reform advocates and become a powerful movement for integrity in public life?

Grumble silently (or submit anonymous petitions)?

Should investigations of contested decisions be carried out with dispatch, by which is meant, the investigations should be completed and results announced (check ONE):

within a short period (in under a month)?

over a fairly long period (2 – 6 months)?

over a very long period (after 6 months of receipt of petition, or request for review)?

for as long as is necessary to establish the facts and arrive at a just conclusion?

33.Should the relief awarded to genuinely aggrieved citizen/client take any of the following forms (check YES/NO/Don’t know) against each as appropriate):

	Yes	No	Don't Know
Depending on the nature of the grievance, formal apology and financial compensation?	Yes	No	Don't Know

Formal apology, financial compensation, plus abrogation of contested decision?	Yes	No	Don't Know

Abrogation of contested decision only?	Yes	No	Don't Know

Formal apology only?	Yes	No	Don't Know

Institution of disciplinary proceedings against offending decision maker?	Yes	No	Don't Know

34.Is it appropriate to insert in the constitution or the statutes provisions for the recall (by members of the public) of holders of the following classes of posts (Check YES/NO/Don't Know) to each question):

	Yes	No	Don't Know
Political functionaries, such as Ministers, Chairpersons of state agencies?	Yes	No	Don't Know

Senior career officials?	Yes	No	Don't Know

Holders of senior judicial appointments (judges, magistrates, etc.)?	Yes	No	Don't Know

Middle-level officials?	Yes	No	Don't Know

Service delivery agents dealing with members of the public on a regular basis?	Yes	No	Don't Know

All categories of public officials?	Yes	No	Don't Know

None of the above?	Yes	No	Don't Know

	Yes	No	Don't Know

35.If the central (or local) government contemplates a highly controversial decision, particularly, a decision that is likely to disturb the people’s daily routines or affect their livelihoods which of the following measures should it adopt before proceeding further (Check YES/NO/DON'T KNOW) against each question, as appropriate):

	Yes	No	Don't Know
It should establish a public committee or commission of inquiry to obtain the views of the public and of the affected persons?	Yes	No	Don't Know

It should establish an internal task force/committee with instructions to explore the pros and cons of the proposed decision?	Yes	No	Don't Know

It should recruit a firm of consultants to carry out necessary specialized studies and submit recommendations?	Yes	No	Don't Know

The Government, or a duly authorized person, should simply take a decision and expect its order to be promptly and strictly enforced?	Yes	No	Don't Know

The agency to implement a disagreeable decision should begin by arranging meetings with leaders/representatives of persons likely to be affected?	Yes	No	Don't Know

The agency of the Government should mount a publicity campaign to educate the public about the benefits of the proposed decision?	Yes	No	Don't Know

The Government should consult widely with all the affected persons, but should still do what it set out to do regardless of what the people say?	Yes	No	Don't Know

36.To whom should public officials be regularly and effectively accountable (Check YES/NO/DON'T KNOW against each question as appropriate):

	Yes	No	Don't Know
to God Almighty?	Yes	No	Don't Know

to their conscience only?	Yes	No	Don't Know

to the electorate?	Yes	No	Don't Know

to tax-payers only?	Yes	No	Don't Know

to the press?	Yes	No	Don't Know

to political parties and chieftains?	Yes	No	Don't Know

to their bosses and other top Government functionaries only?	Yes	No	Don't Know

to political power brokers and ‘god fathers’?	Yes	No	Don't Know

to no-one in particular?	Yes	No	Don't Know

What is your name?

38.What is your age? (Please check only ONE applicable age bracket):

Below 20 years

Between 20 and 30 years

Between 31 and 40 years

Between 41 and 50 years

Between 51 and 60 years

Above 60 years

Gender (Check Male/Female):

Male

Female

State Highest Educational Qualifications (by checking ONLY applicable ONE below):

Primary Education (with or without vocational training)

Secondary

Secondary (with technical/vocational training)

University (First) Degree or equivalent

Master’s Degree or equivalent

Theological education

Professional qualifications (e.g., in law, accounting, engineering)

Doctorate

What is your occupation? (check ONLY ONE):

Entrepreneur (Small- or Medium-Size Enterprise, including management/engineering consulting)

Corporate Leader/Business Executive (Managing, Executive, non-Executive Director)

Senior Civil Servant (Management/Professional Category)

University Teacher/Researcher

Cleric (all faiths)

Secondary School Teacher

Civic/Community Leader

NGO/Civic Based Organization Executive/Programme Manager

Trade Union Leader or Official

Politician (minister, legislator, party organizer, etc)

Other (_____________________________)

State of origin:

Do you think that they currently play the role specified in paragraph 7 above?

Yes

use this free template

Leadership

Related templates and questionnaires

QuestionPro in your language

Awards & certificates

The Experience Journal