Quest Journals Journal of Research in Humanities and Social Science Volume 9 ~ Issue 6 (2021)pp: 18-31 ISSN(Online):2321-9467 www.questjournals.org *Corresponding Author: Jane Nyamandwe 18 | Page Research Paper Demand for Cheap Transport by Government Workers and Production in the Public Sector Jane Nyamandwe*, Elsie T. Gambiza**, Wellington G. Bonga*** *Independent Researcher, Zimbabwe **Marketing Research Manager, Dynamic Research Review, Zimbabwe ***Department of Banking & Finance, Great Zimbabwe University, Zimbabwe Abstract: The Zimbabwean nation has been struggling to gain economic development momentum in the multi- currency era despite numerous efforts being made by policy makers. The economy has since operated with budget deficits and high consumption expenditures in the form of wages for civil servants and little capital expenditure for proper development in the longer term. The Zimbabwean economy has lagged behind many economies which have been on the same economic level some few decades ago, yet there still exist inadequate effort and improper arrangements for its civil servants to provide services timeously and effectively. The study analyzed qualitatively the impact that the demand for cheap transport by government workers to/from work has on the production or service delivery in the public sector. Using an electronic survey technique, the study managed to confirm that public sector workers are failing to report to work early and are leaving work early due to poor transport arrangements and transport challenges. The welfare of workers does not match the costs of commuting using other methods apart from them using public sector transport and the revitalized ZUPCO transport and ZUPCO franchised transport. Working less than the statutorily stipulated time impacts negatively on economic development and stability, causing the nation to remain in the economic deep. The study recommends welfare of civil servants to be addressed so that they are able to commute timeously to work. More flexible methods of offering services should be sought and adopted to reduce pressure on transportation during peak hours. Increasing public sector fleet and effectively managing it is ideal. Private players in the transport sector should be accommodated through favorable contracts that enables them to make profit. Macroeconomic stability and economic growth may not be attainable if public sector workers transport challenges are not effectively and correctly addressed. Key words: Government Workers, Productivity, Public Sector, Transport, Welfare, Zimbabwe JEL Codes: C83, D14, D31, D91, E23, E24, H42, I31, J08, J22, J31, J32, J91, N37, O40, R41, R42 Received 25 May, 2021; Revised: 06 June, 2021; Accepted 08 June, 2021 © The author(s) 2021. Published with open access at www.questjournals.org I. INTRODUCTION The public sector comprises of a diverse assortment of jobs. There exist business and administration roles ranging from economists, accountants, teachers, nurses and social workers among others. All the services offered in the public sector enable the economy to function smoothly if rendered effectively. However, nothing exists without hindrances and such sieges should be examined for solution determination. The public sector in Zimbabwe is still underdeveloped in terms of finance, human resources, efficiency and management. In general, the public sector is greatly linked to the private sector to the extent that the private sector may fail to operate efficiently once some services offered by the public sector are not done properly and efficiently. One of the potentially most serious difficulties for studies of the effects of public services on economic development is the problem of measuring both the quantity and the quality of those public services or facilities (Fisher, 1997). The public sector ensures fair playing ground for the private sector through monitoring and regulating. Therefore, production output for the public sector is not directly observable. Transport is essential for the economic and social development of all countries as well as for supporting regional and global cooperation and economies (UNECA, 2015). Inadequate transport investment can hold back economic development. The economic effects of transport are generally measured at national level using national accounts that present the changes of aggregates such as employment, national income, public expenditures, productivity and gross output (Caid, 2004). National accounts, however, undercount the share of