| Abstract [eng] |
The object of the work is the creation of general public services in the context of the welfare state. The aim is to identify how local self-government as the lowest level of the public sector, contributes to the creation of a welfare state (the case of Lithuania) and what measures can be taken to increase citizens' involvement in the creation of general public services. Objectives: to examine the creation of general public services in the context of a welfare state, highlighting the role of local self-government; to systematize the aspects of citizens' participation in the creation of general public services and in the creation of a welfare state, as well as possible means of greater participation; to identify which measures would encourage more active participation of Lithuanian citizens in the creation of general public services. It has been found in the thesis that the creation of general public services helps to maintain the interaction between citizens and the representatives of local authorities, which contributes to the assurance of a democratic principle, the representation of the citizen's interests and communication. Such creation of general public services, based on equal and mutual provider and recipient‘s rights, benefits the state by reducing service costs, contributing to customer satisfaction and adapting to change. Citizens also benefit from services of higher quality, a wider range of services and greater satisfaction with provided services and their lives in general. However, citizens are often passively involved in creating such services because of factors such as lack of information, negative attitude towards government representatives as well as the fact that citizens do not feel valued and valuable participants in the process. It is therefore necessary to apply certain promotional measures: to involve citizens effectively in the formation of the service, to consult with the users and to stay in touch throughout the process in order to ensure the mutual dissemination of information. |
