An Overview of Productivity Improvement Efforts in State Governments

State governments have been pioneers in the area of productivity improvement and are even more interested in such efforts given current budgetary and resource constraints. An overview of programs initiated by state governments shows considerable diversity in approach and methodology. Five major areas of activity include: training, quality circles, health cost containment, incentive systems, and employee appreciation activities. Problems reviewed in this article include limitations in program scope, degrees of support for programs, and lack of effective planning.