Paper/Speech Details of Conference Program for the 18th NISPAcee Annual Conference Program Overview General Session Author(s) Loretta Parashkevova Varna Free University "Chernorizets Hrabar" Varna Bulgaria Title The improvement of the administrative service of citizens and the business: A strategic element of the bulgarian municipality marketing File Paper files are available only for conference participants, please login first. Presenter Abstract UPDATED VERSION The development of marketing in Bulgarian municipalities needs both theoretical, systematic and comprehensive review and rationalization of its purely practical dimensions which will take into account the specifics of the new conditions, especially in times of crisis. Effective marketing is a necessary and important part of the comprehensive flexibility of municipalities. Marketing orientation is a constituent element of the strategy for decentralization and other strategic documents. It is laid down in the operative programme ‘Administrative Capacity’ and in the plans for municipal development. The marketing of municipalities, which is yet to be developed in Bulgaria, is a specific and multifaceted activity which has its philosophy, methodology and technology. In the most general form, its essence is expressed in: knowledge about the user of administrative services; study of the user preferences; adaptation to customer requirements; offering only such administrative services which correspond to the demand. Object of study in this article is the marketing in Bulgarian municipalities. Concrete practices in municipalities which differ according to categories and territorial scope are presented (12 municipalities in the northeastern region of the Republic of Bulgaria have been analyzed). Subject of the study is the quality of administrative services and the indicators for their assessment. The objective is to make an assessment of the satisfaction of users from the obtained administrative services and a proposal of mechanisms for their improvement. In accordance with the set objective, the statement is made according to the following logic: 1. Analysis of the marketing of Bulgarian municipalities (following the example of 12 municipalities in the northeastern region of the Republic of Bulgaria). 2. Developing a theoretical and applied model for the implementation of activities which are oriented to the user of administrative services. 3. Identifying discrepancies between the model and the practice and proposing measures to remove them. Hypotheses for problematic areas by the provision of administrative service to the citizens in Bulgarian municipalities: retardation by the provision of e-services to the citizens and business; insufficient channels for reporting corruption practices; difficulties in obtaining administrative services by people with disabilities. Research methods: the most appropriate methods are those of critical analysis of scientific literature, concerning the public sector marketing; problem analysis of results of applied researches and analytic reports; comparative analysis and evaluation of results from sociological researches (for the country) and author`s researches on the state of the working environment, on the ways of information provision, on the employees behavior. The data which will be analyzed refers to: administrative service standards for citizens and business; range of services, provided by the Bulgarian municipalities; information services of citizens and business, etc. Target groups which will benefit from the research: mayors, heads and experts in municipal administration; citizens and businesses.
