The Impact of Management Competencies on Civil Service Performance

The Case of Addis Ababa and Adama City Administrations, Ethiopia

Absztrakt

Civil service performance remains a critical concern for public institutions. Managers with strong competencies tend to deliver higher-quality services to citizens. However, misapplication of management competencies often undermines performance outcomes. This study aims to analyse and compare the impact of management competencies on civil service performance across two urban administrations. A mixed-methods approach was employed, utilising structured and unstructured questionnaires, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews. Data were analysed using SPSS for both descriptive and inferential statistics. Results show that several key factors moderately influence civil service performance in both study areas. The coefficient of determination and Pearson correlation coefficients reveal statistically significant and positive relationships among these factors. While overall performance levels between the two cities – Addis Ababa and Adama – are similar, Addis Ababa demonstrates slightly stronger outcomes. Despite some progress, several challenges persist: lack of long-term strategic planning, limited support for employee innovation, insufficient stakeholder engagement, inadequate continuous learning, and underutilisation of modern technology. To enhance institutional performance and competitiveness, it is essential to strengthen the factors contributing to management competency development and align them with strategic priorities.