The Federal Role in Improving Productivity: Is the National Center for Productivity and Quality of Working Life the Proper Mechanism?

The National Center for Productivity and Quality of Working Life was established in 1975 to be the focal point for a national effort to improve America's rate of economic growth. The Center established the following objectives: (1) develop more effective approaches to improving productivity in the public sector; (2) stimulate and support industry efforts to improve productivity; (3) coordinate productivity enhancing efforts by federal agencies; (4) encourage labor-management efforts by federal agencies; (5) encourage labor-management cooperation to enhance productivity; (6) recommend ways of improving the rate of capital investment; (7) recommend changes in productivity-inhibiting government regulations; and (8) encourage understanding and use of productivity measures.