cy enforcing incentives present in private sector firms are absent in public sector organizations (Atkinson, & Halvorsen, 1986; Bennett, & Johnson, 1979; Pescatrice, & Tra pani, 1980). In seeking solutions to productivity problems, public sector managers, as is also true of private sector man agers, are also bedeviled by the contradictions in human resource management research, such as those represented by the findings of Taylor, and Mayo, which were discussed in the introductory remarks.
The proposed research study described herein will attempt to answer some of the questions associated with the problem of productivity improvement in the public sector. The effects, if any, on productivity of compensation increases, and the degree of worker job autonomy will be measured and assessed in the proposed study.
III. PRIOR RESEARCH: HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT/PRODUCTIVITY IMPROVEMENT
With respect to the use of compensation as an incentive for improved productivity, a significant amount of research have been reported with respect to the use of the gainsharing concept. Gainsharing is defined as a comprehensive approach to the task of improving organizational performance, or productiv ity (Doyle, 1982). The gainsharing concept is comprehensive because it relies on a combination of (1) management develop ment, (2) employee participation, and (3) shared rewards to improve productivity (Doyle, 1982). Management provides the leadership and the organizational structure which fosters increased employee participation in the organization's efforts to attain its goals. To the extent that the joint efforts are successful (productivity improvements exceed an agreed upon base level), the benefits are shared between employees (both production employees, and management), and the organization.
The gainsharing concept has been applied in various American organizations since the early 1930s under a variety of names (Doyle, 198...