The contact with the public-client in a public institution

Abstract

Different people pass different judgernents on barriers and constraints created by bureaucratic institutions. Nevertheless, if we analyze those critical opinions closely and carefully, it becomes evident that they mainly fall on the way people are treated by public institutions, on how the latter solve the citizen's problems, how they consider the question of working conditions, and on the respect they have for human dignity.

This article deals precisely with this hidden side of the bureaucratic process and tries to identify differences and/or similarities in attitudes, values and motivations of both public officials and clients (employees insured by the National Institute of Social Security - INPS), expectations towards working and attendance conditions, and the degree of mutual satisfaction. It also intends to detect some aspects of institutional policies and bureaucratic malfunctions that contribute most to undermine good relationships and administrative efficiency.

In its first part, the research is focused on the study of the heteroimage, starting from values now prevailing in the context of Brazilian society. Its second part evaluates working and attendance conditions, especially as regards cleanliness, hygiene, airing and lighting conditions, access to management, waiting time, and ideal time of attendance. In the third part, the research includes an open question involving facts and events prone to generate more satisfaction and/or dissatfaction both to public servants and clients.

Patterns of behavior, as well as ways of treatment prevailing in interpersonal relations, the use of the client's time and notions of cleanliness and hygiene are some features reflecting and characterizing the culture of this given society.