This document outlines a framework and action plan for improving public sector productivity in APO member countries. It defines public sector productivity and identifies key areas and levels for development. The action plan proposes short, medium, and long-term activities including study missions, demonstration projects, training programs, and establishing centers of excellence. The goal is to enhance public services and share best practices across countries at different stages of public sector productivity development.

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K D Bhardwaj,
APO
53rd WSM, Bali, 23rd October 2012

2. “You didn't build
that"
is a phrase from an election campaign speech delivered by
President Barack Obama on 13 July 2012………. speaking about
the ways in which successful businesses rely on both
individual initiative and public infrastructure/services
President Barack Obama said

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I. Background

4. Public-sector Productivity
WSM Comments
NPO Delegate from Bangladesh Dr. Md. Nazrul Islam suggested
reconsidering the idea of separating the public sector as a
sector on its own since it is under the service sector.
Mr. Razali also proposed targeting the public sector and
pointed out that one of the five gears adopted by the MPC was
regulations review
NPO Delegate from the Philippines Antonio D. Kalaw, Jr. highlighted
the important role of the public sector…..supported
Malaysia’s recommendation for the public sector to become a thrust
area.
NPO Delegate from Singapore Leung Wai Ling asked for a report of
the findings and learning points from the recent study mission
to Canada on public service productivity

5. Public-sector Productivity
WSM Comments
Mr. Bunna recommended continuance of Green Productivity,
development of NPOs, and strengthening of SMEs and suggested
considering innovation, the service sector, and the public sector
as potential new thrust areas
Mr. Usamate urged the APO to focus …The public sector and
service productivity improvement.
NPO Delegate Kunjung Masehat…sought APO assistance in
organizing projects on Green Productivity, entrepreneurship
development, productivity improvement in agriculture and industry, and
public-sector productivity.

6. 6
Public-sector Productivity
Ease of Doing Business : World Bank Index 2012
Country Rank Country Rank
Singapore 1 Vietnam 98
Hong Kong 2 Pakistan 105
Republic of Korea 8 Nepal 107
Thailand 17 Bangladesh 122
Malaysia 18 Indonesia 129
Japan 20 India 132
ROC 25 Philippines 136
Fiji 77 Cambodia 138
Mongolia 86 Iran 144
Sri Lanka 89 Lao PDR 165
Total 183 countries surveyed: Rank 183 - Chad

7. Public-sector Productivity
Important Milestones :
2009 - 50th WSM in Manila stressed APO’s
engagement in public sector; need to identify
scope and priority areas
2010 - Expert group meeting on public sector
productivity, 15-17 February.
2010 – Study mission to Canada on public sector
innovation, 23-27 August
2012 – Jakarta Workshop on public sector
productivity, 2-6 July

8. Public-sector Productivity
Important Steps:
•Review of Expert Group report and draft framework
•Review of Canada study mission expert reports (3 NPO
Heads)
•Inputs from the Demonstration Project implemented in
India and Sri Lanka
•Discussions in Jakarta Workshop (11 NPOs + 10
government agencies + 2 academia + 1 consultant + 4
experts from Canada, Philippines, ROK = 28 members)
•PSP Framework and Action Plan shared with NPOs

9. Public-sector Productivity
What is public-sector productivity?
Improving public sector productivity means
producing efficient and effective performances
out of limited government resources. In
technical terms, it is represented by
standardized efficiency (or output per unit
resource) X effectiveness (or quality output).
Generally, it is about ensuring value for
taxpayers' money since public resources
largely come from taxes.

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II. PSP Program Framework

11. Public-sector Productivity
Objective of the APO Public-sector Productivity
Program Framework
To provide a common understanding among member
countries and emphasize key principles that are vital to
achieving public-sector productivity and to serve as a
reference for the APO and NPOs aiming to improve
public-sector performance and the quality of public
services. Specifically, the framework:
1) Identifies major areas of engagement/niche areas for
the APO and NPOs;

12. Public-sector Productivity
2) Specifies the major groups where public-sector
productivity enhancement activities may be applied;
and
3) Indicates the modality and methods of delivery of
APO projects on public-sector productivity
development.

13. Public-sector Productivity
Scope:
The public-sector productivity framework also endeavors to look
at three levels of capacity development: institutional;
organizational; and individual.
It focuses on two aspects of public sector productivity:
1)for the public sector to provide an environment that is
conducive to improving quality of life of citizens and productivity
of businesses; and
2) improving productivity in the public sector itself.

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III. Broad Action Plan

16. Public-sector Productivity
Short-term Action Items (1-2 years)
APO member countries will be classified into three
categories: category 1, those with relatively advanced
forms of public-sector productivity program; category 2,
those with some form of public-sector productivity
program that is not yet mature; and category 3, those
with no public-sector productivity program but are
starting to show interest in it.
Study missions for policymakers or high-level officials
of public-service organizations and NPO heads from
categories 2 and 3 to APO member countries in
category l will be organized for benchmarking against
best practices.

17. Public-sector Productivity
Short-term Action Items (1-2 years)
Bilateral Cooperation between NPOs missions will be
encouraged from category 2 and 3 countries to category
1 countries.
For category 1 and 2 countries, study missions on
public-sector productivity to nonmember countries will be
organized.
Organization of an annual international conference of
policymakers on public-sector productivity will be started

18. Public-sector Productivity
Short-term Action Items (1-2 years)
Experts from non-APO member countries as well as
category 1 countries will be invited to share their
experiences.
APO to undertake research and adopt a common
methodology for public-sector productivity
measurement in member countries.
The APO will set up a Public-sector Productivity
Resource Center with customized training materials,
case studies, self-assessment and productivity
improvement guides, innovation guidelines, and other
supporting materials

19. Public-sector Productivity
Short-term Action Items (1-2 years)
Along with capacity-building activities, the application of
productivity tools will be supported by setting up
demonstration projects to develop model agencies in
any of the five thematic areas.
NPOs in categories 2 and 3 will be encouraged to
utilize TES from APO member countries in category 1;
similarly category 1 countries will be encouraged to
invite experts from nonmember countries.
The APO will strengthen NPOs and other related
stakeholders to create a pool of public-sector
productivity professionals.

20. Public-sector Productivity
Medium-term Action Items (3–5 years):
The APO will regularly organize capacity building
projects on service quality, innovation leadership, e-government,
regulatory reform, and citizen-centered
services specifically for public-sector organizations
These programs will be organized at two levels:
multicountry and individual country.
The APO will develop metrics for public-sector
productivity and assist NPOs in establishing systems for
measuring productivity performance in the public sector,
including setting up a common database for
benchmarking against member countries.

21. Public-sector Productivity
Medium-term Action Items (3–5 years):
The APO will initiate internal benchmarking studies
among local government units and public service
delivery agencies in member countries. This will be
followed by international benchmarking against countries
with more advanced approaches.
The APO will provide a virtual venue to support/maintain
communities of practice through the development of a
dedicated web-based knowledge portal on public-sector
productivity.
In addition, it will develop an innovation and productivity
toolkit for public-sector leaders and managers.

22. Public-sector Productivity
Medium-term Action Items (3–5 years):
The APO will establish COE on public-sector productivity
and in conjunction with the COE, the APO will initiate
regional public-sector productivity awards.

23. Public-sector Productivity
Long-term Action Items
Comprehensive research will be undertaken on baseline
data for a better understanding and sharing of best
practices in public-sector.
Global benchmarking research will be conducted on the
need for public-sector innovation and productivity in
member countries and appropriate assistance will be
determined.
Detailed surveys will be conducted to develop an
approach for each member country and assist in
formulating public-sector innovation strategies for
enhanced productivity and competitiveness.

24. Public-sector Productivity
Long-term Action Items
The APO will continue to organize an annual
international conference on public-sector innovation.
Such conferences will help the APO and NPOs stay
abreast of emerging needs and new productivity tools
applicable in this sector.

25. Thank you!
Questions and Comments
are most welcome……
K D Bhardwaj, Sr Program Officer
kdbhardwaj@apo-tokyo.org