ORC Debuts Ratings for CityMARKS Model

In the US, market and employee research firm ORC has added a 'five-star ratings' system to its CityMARKS city measurement tool, to enable local governments to understand how their city or town meets its citizens' expectations.

Based on responses to five questions, ORC's new rating system provides an understanding of residents' expectations of quality of life; quality of city services; the perceived value of service for tax dollars paid; and perception about the direction their town is taking.

The enhanced tool offers a full suite of survey research, diagnostic, and action planning services, and ORC says that results provide insight into the direction a city should take to improve performance and meet the needs of its inhabitants.

'What makes our five-star rating unique is that it not only measures local government's performance on key metrics of most importance to citizens, it also offers diagnostic capabilities to help public leadership easily identify and focus on issues that matter most,' states SVP Rebecca Elmore-Yalch, who developed the CityMARKS research program.

'Through this effort, ORC will also be developing a robust national database that will allow participating cities to see how they stand up on these 'power' questions as well as other measures of quality.'

Web site: www.opinionresearch.com .