Evidence-Based Productivity Improvement

Robert D. Pritchard Professor Emeritus, University of Central Florida Orlando, FL.Sallie J. Weaver University of Central Florida Orlando, FL.Elissa L. Ashwood Founder and Chief Strategist, Truly Accomplished Pittsburgh, PA

"ProMES is simply one of applied psychology’s premier achievements. As a method of organizational development it has no equal in terms of utilizing sound theory, previous research, careful measurement, and systematic implementation procedures to achieve performance improvements for a wide variety of organizations and organizational units. In the course of using ProMES, an organization must very explicitly articulate its goals, develop measures for assessing goal achievement, and relate the utility of goal achievement to standards of organizational effectiveness. The efficacy of ProMES is based on 30 years of programmatic research and practice; and this volume tells the entire story. It represents our finest example of evidence-based management and organizational development." - John P. Campbell, Professor of Psychology, University of Minnesota "Searching for ways to improve productivity has engaged leaders, managers, teachers, and everyone else concerned with human performance for hundreds of years. Not surprisingly, large numbers of methods for productivity improvement have been proposed and adopted. Some have captured our attention for a while, but few have done so for long, and even fewer have been carefully scrutinized by the standards of our science. The productivity measurement and enhancement system (ProMES) is the rare exception. Robert Pritchard, his students, and colleagues in industry and government, have developed, implemented, refined, and then meticulously documented the effectiveness of ProMES. This 25-year effort meets the highest standards of those who demand evidence for claims of impact on productivity improvement. The success of ProMES can be attributed to grounding the system in well-established psychological principles providing practices and procedures that incorporate these principles into the behavioral routines of people at work. The evidence is clear; ProMES works." - Daniel R. Ilgen, John A. Hannah Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Michigan State University"ProMES is a science-based process for developing more effective organizations. This book shows how ProMES can help managers build purpose-driven, evidence-based organizations. I highly recommend this book for practitioners, consultants, and students interested in this excellent process." - Denise M. Rousseau, Heinz College and Tepper School of Business, Carnegie Mellon University"This book describes a 30-year research program on ways of measuring and improving an organization's productivity through a straightforward intervention, namely, the Productivity Measurement and Enhancement System (ProMES). This book does something rarely achieved; It combines theory, research, and practical application. Specifically, this book describes the theory behind the intervention, the extensive amount of research supporting its effectiveness, and most importantly, gives highly detailed information on how to implement this intervention in different organizational settings. In short, this is an outstanding example of evidence-based management. Practitioners will love it." - Gary Latham, Secretary of State Professor of Organizational Effectiveness, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto

• Preface. Part 1. The Productivity Measurement and Enhancement System (ProMES): An Introduction and Background. 1. The Value of Productivity Measurement. 2. Organizational Productivity: A Definition and Description. 3. Criteria for an Optimal Productivity Measurement and Feedback System. 4. The ProMES Approach: An Overview. 5. Theoretical Background Behind ProMES. 6. Comparison of ProMES to the Desireable Characteristics of a Measurement System. 7. Research Evidence Supporting ProMES. 8. Why ProMES Works. Part 2. How to Do ProMES in Your Organization. 9. Laying the Foundation: The Conditions Necessary for ProMES. 10. Key Decision Points when Starting System Development. 11. Developing Objectives and Indicators. 12. Developing Contingencies. 13. The Feedback System. 14. Getting the Complete Picture: Aggregation Across Units. 15. Tips on Implementing ProMES. 16. Automating Data Collection and Feedback Reporting. Part 3. Questions and Answers about ProMES. 17. Questions and Answers about ProMES: General Issues. 18. Questions and Answers about ProMES: Measurement. 19. Questions and Answers About ProMES: Feedback Reports and Meetings. Part 4. Other Productivity Improvement Techniques and Other ProMES Applications. 20. ProMES and Other Productivity Techniques. 21. Other Applications of ProMES. Conclusion. Appendixes A. Scholarly Work on ProMES. B. Description of the Indicator Classification System Categories. C. Examples of ProMES Objectives and Indicators. D. ProMES Contingency Worksheet. E. Template for Developing Contingencies.