Productivity Measurement Methods: Classification, Critique, and Implications for the Air Force.
Abstract:
The objectives are a to clarify the meaning of organizational productivity as it applies to Air Force organizations, b to describe and critique productivity measurement methods, c to describe a procedure for generating measures of productivity in Air Force organizations, and d to summarize research which evaluates productivity enhancement methods. The report has seven chapters and an appendix. Chapter I is an introduction. Chapter II reviews various definitions of productivity and contrasts them with two related concepts-quality of working life and organizational effectiveness. Chapter III reviews the definition of productivity as it relates specifically to the Air Force. Chapter IV provides a taxonomy and critique of measures of efficiency, effectiveness, and combined methods that integrate efficiency and effectiveness measures into a comprehensive measurement strategy. Chapter V draws conclusions from the review and implications for Air Force productivity measurement methods. Chapter VI describes a method for generating productivity criteria for Air Force organizations and Chapter VII describes a field demonstration of the methodology. Since the ultimate purpose of measuring productivity is to make improvements, the Appendix highlights the major findings of the literature on productivity enhancement. Author