NCJ Number
68754
Journal
Public Productivity Review Volume: 3 Issue: 3 Dated: (WINTER 1979) Pages: 29-42
Date Published
1979
Length
14 pages
Annotation
A SYSTEMATIC PROCESS THAT MAY BE USED FOR PRODUCTIVITY IMPROVEMENT IN SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZE CITIES (UNDER 150,000) IS BASED ON MUTUAL PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION AND A PROBLEM-SOLVING APPROACH.
Abstract
FOUR PRODUCTIVITY STUDIES IN WILKES-BARRE AND YORK, PA., AND IN BRIDGEPORT, CONN., FOCUSED ON FIRE AND POLICE SERVICES WHICH WERE EXPERIENCING INFORMATION AND ANALYSIS-RELATED PRODUCTIVITY PROBLEMS. INFORMATION WAS LACKING ON THE NATURE, TIME, AND LOCATION OF PUBLIC REQUESTS FOR SERVICE ON TASKS PERFORMED OR ACTIONS TAKEN IN RESPONSE; ON THE RESOURCES USED IN RESPONSES TO PUBLIC DEMANDS; AND ON RESULTS ACHIEVED, I.E., CRIMES SOLVED OR VALUE OF FIRE LOSS. FREQUENCY DISTRBUTIONS WERE DEVELOPED TO SHOW THE MOST OR LEAST FREQUENT TYPE OF CALLS FOR FIRE OR POLICE SERVICE AREAS OF THE CITY AND TIME PERIODS THAT HAVE THE MOST OR LEAST CRIMES OR FIRE ALARMS, THE RANGE OF PROPERTY LOSS DUE TO FIRE OR THEFT, AND THE NUMBER OF UNITS RESPONDING TO POLICE OR FIRE CALLS. IT WAS FOUND THAT WHILE ALL OF THE CITIES HAD EXTENSIVE QUANTITIES OF DATA, PRODUCTIVITY IMPROVEMENTS HAVE TO FOCUS UPON SUBSTANTIVE ORGANIZATIONAL OPERATIONS AND INVOLVE THE OPERATIONAL MANAGER. WITHOUT TOP-LEVEL SUPPORT AND A PRELIMINARY CONFIDENCE-BUILDING PERIOD, PRODUCTIVITY IMPROVEMENTS WERE NOT LIKELY TO RECEIVE SUPPORT OF LINE MANAGERS. ACTIVE PARTICIPATION MUST BE SOUGHT FROM TOP-LEVEL AND KEY LINE OFFICIALS, SUCH AS FIRE CHIEFS. EXTENSIVE PREPARATION AND INTERACTION MUST OCCUR BEFORE ACTUAL ANALYSES BEGIN. IMPROVEMENTS SHOULD INITIALLY CENTER ON SUBSTANTIVE ORGANIZATION ISSUES AND PROCEED IN ACCORDANCE WITH PRIORITIES DERIVED FROM MUTUAL IDENTIFICATION OF ACTUAL PROBLEMS. THE EFFECTS OF FEEDING BACK INFORMATION MUST BE ANTICIPATED, AND KEY INDIVIDUALS MUST BE MADE AWARE THAT THEY SHOULD PLAN FOR IMPLEMENTATION AND DEVELOP EVALUATION STANDARDS WHEN THE PRODUCTIVITY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM IS INITIALLY DESIGNED, NOT AS IT IS WINDING DOWN. TABLES, FLOWCHARTS, AND FOOTNOTES ARE PROVIDED.