Investigating Barriers to the Promotion of Productivity In Public Sector
Subject Areas : Business ManagementSamad Alye 1 , Alireza Bafande Zende 2
1 - Member of the faculty (coach), Industrial Management Department, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran
2 - Member of faculty (assistant professor) Industrial Management Department, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran
Keywords: Productivity barriers, Productivity of public sector, Environmental barriers, Organizational barriers, Individual barriers,
Abstract :
This paper aims to identify the barriers of improving the productivity in public sector. According to the theoretical studies and the interviews with several senior managers of public sector, 28 items were detected as the obstacles of improving the productivity in public sector. These items were classified under three categories of environmental, organizational and individual barriers based on Ammons’ studies. Then a questionnaire was developed in order to reveal the views of managers in public sector about the influence of each item on productivity. The findings show that the public sector is faced with numerous barriers in improving productivity, a major part of which is related to personality, attitude and leadership skills of the public sector managers. The other part of it relates to the internal and environmental problems such as lack of a proper appraisal system, tendency to keep the status quo and extreme conservatism, lack of accountability system, lack of cost accounting systems, the political pressures that influence decisions, low importance of the issue of productivity compared with the political interests, shortage of analyst staff, lack of competitive market pressures, and the complex process of bureaucracy.
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Ammons, D. N., & King, J. C. (1983), Productivity improvement in local government: its place among competing priorities. Public Admin. Rev. 43(2):113–120.
Balk, W. L. (1984), Productivity in government: a legislative focus. Public Product. Rev. 8(2):148–161.
Borins, S. (2000), Loose cannons and rule breakers, or enterprising leaders? Some evidence about innovative public managers. Public Admin. Rev. 60(6):498–507.
Bryce, J. (1888), The American Common wealth. Cited in Schiesl, M. J. (1977), The Politics of Efficiency. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Cohen,J and S.Peterson (1997), Adminstrative Decentralization:A New Framework for Impravment. Governance, Accountibility, Performance, Harvard University Press, p 44.
Downs, A. (1967), Inside Bureaucracy. Boston: Little Brown. Drucker, P. F. (1980), The deadly sins in public administration. Public Admin. Rev. 40(2):103–106.
Fainstein, N. I., & Fainstein, S. S. (1972), Innovation in urban bureaucracies. Amer. Behav. Sci. 15(4):511–531.
Gold, B. M. (Spring 2001), A productivity panacea. Electron. Govern. 2(1):26–27.
Goldsmith, S. (1997), The Twenty-First Century City: Resurrecting Urban America. Washington, D.C.: Regnery Publishing.
Gore, A. (1993), Creating a Government that Works Better and Costs Less: Transforming Organizational Structures. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
Gurwitt, R. (1989), Cultures clash as old-time politics confronts button-down management. Governing 2(7):42–48.
Harlow, L. F. (1977), Without Fear or Favor. Provo, UT: Brigham Young University Press.
Huyuz, A. (1998). Modern Government Management. Translation by: S. M. Alvani, Morvarid Publishing, (In Persian).
Hayes, F. O’R. (1972), Innovation in state and local government. In: Hayes, F. O’R.
Hayward, N., & Kuper, G. (1978), The national economy and productivity in government. Public Admin. Rev. 38 (l):2-5.
Kaufman, H. (2001), Major players: Bureaucracies in American government. Public Admin. Rev. 61(1):18-42.
Keehely, P. & ET. al. (1997), Benchmarking for Best Practices in the Public sector, San Fransisco: Jossey Bass Publishers, pp 26-28.
Kelvin, Lord, as quoted in Lehrer, R. N., ed. (1983), White collar Productivity. New York: McGraw-Hill
Kittower, D. (2001), Putting technology to work. Governing, 15(1):48–54.
Marris, P., & Rein, M. (1973), Dilemmas of Social Reform. Chicago: Aldine.
Mars Holzer (1992), Public Productivity Handbook, New York, Marcel Dekker. Inc, pp74-80.
Morgan, D. R., England, R. E. (1999), Managing Urban America. 5th ed. New York: Chatham House.
Naygro, L. (1996). Decision-Making in the Public Sector. Public Management Center for Public Administration Education, (In Persian).
Niskanen, W. A. (1971), Bureaucracy and Representative Government. Atherton, Chicago: Aldine.
Osborne, D., & Plastrik, P. (2000), The Reinventor’s Fieldbook: Tools for Transforming Your Government. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass
Productivity Measurement in the Public Sector (2000), Published by the Asian Productivity Organization, pp 83-84.
Savas, E. S. (2000), Privatization and Public-Private Partnerships. New York: Chatham House.
Schick, A. (1996), The Spirit of Reform, State Services Commission. New Zealand: Wellington.
Stillman, R. J. II. (1982), Local public management in transition: A report on the current state of the profession. In International City Management Association.
Szanton, P. (1981), Not Well Advised. New York: Russell Sage Foundation and Ford Foundation.
Thornhill, D. (2006), Productivity attainment in a diverse public sector, paper presented at Seminar on Promoting Productivity in a Diverse Public Sector, Dublin, 21 April.
Zolkos, R. (1989), Mississippi counties streamline operations. City State 5:3, 45
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Ammons, D. N. (2004), Productivity barriers in the public sector. In: Holzer, M., ed. Public Productivity Handbook. New York: Marcel Dekker.
Ammons, D. N., & King, J. C. (1983), Productivity improvement in local government: its place among competing priorities. Public Admin. Rev. 43(2):113–120.
Balk, W. L. (1984), Productivity in government: a legislative focus. Public Product. Rev. 8(2):148–161.
Borins, S. (2000), Loose cannons and rule breakers, or enterprising leaders? Some evidence about innovative public managers. Public Admin. Rev. 60(6):498–507.
Bryce, J. (1888), The American Common wealth. Cited in Schiesl, M. J. (1977), The Politics of Efficiency. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Cohen,J and S.Peterson (1997), Adminstrative Decentralization:A New Framework for Impravment. Governance, Accountibility, Performance, Harvard University Press, p 44.
Downs, A. (1967), Inside Bureaucracy. Boston: Little Brown. Drucker, P. F. (1980), The deadly sins in public administration. Public Admin. Rev. 40(2):103–106.
Fainstein, N. I., & Fainstein, S. S. (1972), Innovation in urban bureaucracies. Amer. Behav. Sci. 15(4):511–531.
Gold, B. M. (Spring 2001), A productivity panacea. Electron. Govern. 2(1):26–27.
Goldsmith, S. (1997), The Twenty-First Century City: Resurrecting Urban America. Washington, D.C.: Regnery Publishing.
Gore, A. (1993), Creating a Government that Works Better and Costs Less: Transforming Organizational Structures. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
Gurwitt, R. (1989), Cultures clash as old-time politics confronts button-down management. Governing 2(7):42–48.
Harlow, L. F. (1977), Without Fear or Favor. Provo, UT: Brigham Young University Press.
Huyuz, A. (1998). Modern Government Management. Translation by: S. M. Alvani, Morvarid Publishing, (In Persian).
Hayes, F. O’R. (1972), Innovation in state and local government. In: Hayes, F. O’R.
Hayward, N., & Kuper, G. (1978), The national economy and productivity in government. Public Admin. Rev. 38 (l):2-5.
Kaufman, H. (2001), Major players: Bureaucracies in American government. Public Admin. Rev. 61(1):18-42.
Keehely, P. & ET. al. (1997), Benchmarking for Best Practices in the Public sector, San Fransisco: Jossey Bass Publishers, pp 26-28.
Kelvin, Lord, as quoted in Lehrer, R. N., ed. (1983), White collar Productivity. New York: McGraw-Hill
Kittower, D. (2001), Putting technology to work. Governing, 15(1):48–54.
Marris, P., & Rein, M. (1973), Dilemmas of Social Reform. Chicago: Aldine.
Mars Holzer (1992), Public Productivity Handbook, New York, Marcel Dekker. Inc, pp74-80.
Morgan, D. R., England, R. E. (1999), Managing Urban America. 5th ed. New York: Chatham House.
Naygro, L. (1996). Decision-Making in the Public Sector. Public Management Center for Public Administration Education, (In Persian).
Niskanen, W. A. (1971), Bureaucracy and Representative Government. Atherton, Chicago: Aldine.
Osborne, D., & Plastrik, P. (2000), The Reinventor’s Fieldbook: Tools for Transforming Your Government. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass
Productivity Measurement in the Public Sector (2000), Published by the Asian Productivity Organization, pp 83-84.
Savas, E. S. (2000), Privatization and Public-Private Partnerships. New York: Chatham House.
Schick, A. (1996), The Spirit of Reform, State Services Commission. New Zealand: Wellington.
Stillman, R. J. II. (1982), Local public management in transition: A report on the current state of the profession. In International City Management Association.
Szanton, P. (1981), Not Well Advised. New York: Russell Sage Foundation and Ford Foundation.
Thornhill, D. (2006), Productivity attainment in a diverse public sector, paper presented at Seminar on Promoting Productivity in a Diverse Public Sector, Dublin, 21 April.
Zolkos, R. (1989), Mississippi counties streamline operations. City State 5:3, 45
