Knowledge and Use of Quality Management Tools in Czech Municipalities

Quality management has become part of company’s management in the private sector already in the 1970. It became early the integral part of management in all organizations. The requirements for effective management of the organization were transferred to the public institutions. In current practice there is an increase of demand for higher performance in public administration and increase the satisfaction of citizens and the quality of services. Every municipality is unique. It has its own specifics, different priorities, problems, advantages and shortcomings, higher or lower number of inhabitants, different civic facilities. Municipalities also have various levels of finances at their disposal; they actually are a limiting factor of their development. The question is: How to manage the development of municipalities? The strategic management of the municipality has to use the tools of quality management. The aim of the paper is to find what is the knowledge and use of quality management tools (CAF model, Balanced Scorecard, Benchmarking, ISO standards) in Czech municipalities (cities and rural). The questionnaire was chosen as a method of data collection. Questionnaires were returned from almost 80% municipalities. Data were analysed using appropriate statistical methods for the analysis of categorical data, which are part of the statistical program Statistica. Based on the results of the questionnaire, we can say, that the knowledge and usage of these instruments is minimal. When asked about the knowledge and use of modern methods and tools of quality management and the best result enjoy an ISO standard. In the second place there was the knowledge and use of benchmarking. Mayor should apply modern methods of management with respect to the fact that the municipality has to get engaged continuously in efficient spending of financial means and in acquiring subsidy titles. A mayor should not hamper introducing and applying modern methods of quality management into use.