Manager's Guide to Productivity Improvement Resources and Programs

Because of the high level of interest in the relatively inaccessible information on developing and implementing productivity improvement programs, this paper was prepared as a resource guide for Air Force managers and productivity principals. The information was gathered from field visits to over 50 Air Force, Army, Navy, and civilian organizations engaged in productivity improvement efforts. While the primary purpose of the visits was to review methods of measuring productivity, they yielded a great deal of information and resource material on a broad range of productivity-related topics. The paper has three principal sections: Productivity and Quality of Working Life (QWL) Enhancement Programs, Resource Material to Support Productivity Improvement Programs, and Productivity and Quality of Working Life Centers. The first major section describes 18 productivity and QWL improvement programs in use in field organizations, in the Department of Defense and various Federal agencies. Three categories are used to organize the program descriptions: (1) Capital Investment Programs; (2) Methods and Standards Improvement; and (3) Motivation/Training. In the second section, the paper presents selected resource material that have proven particularly useful to individuals involved in productivity and QWL improvement efforts. These include audio-visual resources, books, technical reports, bibliographies, and journals/newsletters. The last section lists a number of non-profit organizations whose missions are facilitating productivity and QWL improvement efforts. Most of the centers named have libraries and disseminate information to requesting organizations.