Understanding Leadership Role in Local Councils for Effective Service Delivery: A Staff-Centric Approach

This study aims to examine staff perceptions regarding the leadership’s role in enhancing service delivery within city councils in Maldives. The research will identify the role of leadership for effective service delivery within city councils. While there are five (5) city councils, the research could not cover all the city councils. The research follows case studies approach involving 4 cities out of the 5 councils that exist in Maldives. As the role of leadership is crucial in all city councils, factors such as geography of the country, staff exposure and education level, their perceptions are also important.
The study will employ a qualitative research design adopting a case study methodology, where data will be collected from a convenience sample of 15 participants representing staff members from four distinct city councils. Data collection methods will be through interviews and documentary analysis to understand how they perceive the role of leadership within their city councils.

The research promises to contribute invaluable insights into the role of leadership within local councils for effective service delivery. By elucidating their lived experiences and perceptions of staff members, this research sheds light on the multifaceted nature of leadership roles and behaviors within the local governance context. Moreover, the exploration of challenges faced by staff members in relation to leadership offers opportunities for identifying areas of improvement and enhancement in leadership effectiveness and organizational dynamics within local councils for better service delivery.

The research is focused on identifying the role of leadership in effective service delivery to the public by the city councils. The findings of this research can be used by similar entities to understand their leadership role to improve service delivery.

This is one of the earliest types of research on role leadership in effective service delivery in city councils in Maldives. This research will help stakeholders in the public sector to design policies and develop regulations to maximise the role of leadership for effective service delivery in the city councils.