Productivity is essentially the ratio of an organization's outputs divided by its inputs. For many years it was treated as always being static in government agencies. In fact productivity in government services should be rising rapidly as a result of digital changes and new management approaches, and it has done so in some agencies. However, Dunleavy and Carrera show for the first time how complex are the factors affecting productivity growth in government organizations - especially management practices, use of IT, organizational culture, strategic mis-decisions and political and policy churn.

With government budgets under stress in many countries, this pioneering book shows academics, analysts and officials how to measure outputs and productivity in detail; how to cope with problems of quality variations; and how to achieve year-on-year, sustainable improvements in the efficiency of government services.

About the Author
Patrick Dunleavy, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK and Leandro Carrera, Pensions Policy Institute, King's College, UK

Reviews
'Dunleavy and Carrera have performed a difficult, burdensome, original, practical and innovative service to the public sector practitioners and academic observers of public administration and public sector management. This is a book that simply had to be written, but it took a colossal amount of time, effort and experience to do so, and to do it so well.' -- LSE Review of Books
This is an innovative book that aims to address lacunae in both the public administration and management literature. It is an informed disquisition on how to measure and thence to increase productivity in the delivery of public services. . . . The book is both an original research-based treatise and a practical guide to action. In this reader's eyes it is required reading for both academics and practitioners. . . . Dunleavy and Carrera have performed a difficult, burdensome, original, practical and innovative service to the public sector practitioners and academic observers of public administration and public sector management. This is a book that simply had to be written, but it took a colossal amount of time, effort and experience to do so, and to do it so well.' -- LSE Review of Books
This is an important book, one that should be read by academics and practitioners alike. . . The authors address what is a central issue both for academic public administration and for the ''real thing''. How can the productivity of governments be improved? Given the large sizes of public sectors throughout the OECD [this question] has become an absolutely vital one. The field of public administration and public policy needs more work like this - academically thorough, yet hard-hitting, policy-relevant and willing to come forward with broad proposals for improving how governments run their (our) affairs.' -- Christopher Pollitt, International Review of Administrative Sciences



Book Information
ISBN 9781781956106
Author Patrick Dunleavy
Format Paperback
Page Count 384
Imprint Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd
Publisher Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd