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Complaining as Participation

The Case of the Ombudsman

University of Nebraska-Lincoln

John C. Comer

University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Complaining is seen as a form of participation in administration. Although the literature recommends greater participation, we have little evidence about what sort of people are likely to complain and what the effect of their participation through complaining will be. The attitudes of people who had complained to the Nebraska ombudsman were compared with a sample of citizens who had not complained. The complainers were found to have a lower sense of political efficacy and were more cynical about government than the noncomplainers. The implications of complaining for public administrators are discussed.

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