Effectiveness of One Stop Service Centers in Micro and Small Scale EnterpriseDevelopment Sector: The Case of Selected Woreda in Addis-Ketema Sub-city, Addis Ababa

Abstract

The purpose of study was assessing the effectiveness of “One stop service centers” in-service delivery to the customers of Micro and Small Scale Enterprise Development sector in five-selected woreda of Addis-Ketema sub-city. The study was guided by one-stop shop and service Reception, Processing and Returning (RPR) models. To this end, descriptive survey research design was employed and 99 enterprise managers were selected using random sampling techniques. For qualitative data collection, 20 enterprise managers who were not participated in filling questionnaire and 16 operators from female owned enterprises were selected purposively. Quantitative data analysis was done using mean values computed from the 5-likert scale. Triangulation of findings from both quantitative and qualitative sources was done at the interpretation phase. The study results indicate that the centers have no net effect of giving the customers the opportunity to get multiple interrelated services in one place so as to ensure better accessibility. The study identified issues like extractive service delivery set ups, lack of well-trained and adequate number of staffs, lack office facilities; inefficient case handling and management mechanisms; and lack of feedback and solicitation mechanisms as factors affecting the effectiveness of the centers under study settings. Thus, this study recommends that the centers need to be re-designed to avail all services at one roof in such a way that case reception, processing and returning will be at one place. The study further suggests that the sector needs to give due attention to human resource development and equipping the centers with office facilities.