Public Sector Communication and Citizen Expectations and Satisfaction

Abstract

When society and communication technologies change, citizen expectations follow suit. Expectations about the nature of communication with public sector organizations are changing from one‐way information provision toward ongoing interaction and engagement, yet most public sector organizations have not been able to keep up with these new demands. To meet emerging citizen needs, public sector organizations must better understand the logic through which citizen expectations are formed, as well as the different types of expectations citizens may have. By monitoring and analyzing expectations, public sector communication can identify not only gaps between expectations and performance but also the cause of those gaps. Priming communication can help to set expectations at a realistic level, whereas unethical expectation management efforts can hurt organizational reputation and legitimacy.