An exploration of the service orientation discrepancy phenomenon in the public sector

This article explores the nature, antecedents and consequences of a potential service orientation discrepancy in a UK public sector setting. The quantitative and qualitative data collected suggest that: (1) similar to the private sector, employees perceive a discrepancy between their own service orientation and that of the organisation; (2) the antecedents for this discrepancy differ from the private sector: employees' commitment to help communities contrasts with Modernising Government efforts to drive efficiency while neglecting effectiveness; (3) emphasising the development of tailored and proactive services may reduce the service orientation discrepancy and thus improve service performance and job satisfaction.