--- canonical_url: "https://csls.ca/research/productivity-in-the-public-service-a-review-of-the-literature/" title: "Productivity In The Public Service: A Review Of The Literature" author: name: "stapp" url: "https://csls.ca/author/stapp/" date_published: "2026-07-01T11:29:21+00:00" date_modified: "2026-07-09T22:09:14+00:00" post_type: "research" summary: "" post_tag: - "government productivity" - "human resources management" - "measurement" - "non-market output" - "public sector productivity" country_focus: - "Canada" - "UK" - "United States" province_region: - "National" research_theme: - "Fiscal Policy" - "Productivity and Economic Measurement" featured_image: "https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/old-reports_hero_banner_bg.webp" status: "publish" --- # Productivity In The Public Service: A Review Of The Literature Canonical URL: https://csls.ca/research/productivity-in-the-public-service-a-review-of-the-literature/ # Productivity In The Public Service: A Review Of The Literature [Download full PDF report](https://csls.ca/pdf/csls2024-06-1.pdf) Cite this report × Cite this report as: Harrison, Peter, and Andrew Sharpe. 2024. “Productivity In The Public Service: A Review Of The Literature.” CSLS Research Report 2024-06. Ottawa: Centre for the Study of Living Standards. https://csls.ca/research/productivity-in-the-public-service-a-review-of-the-literature/ ## Authors: - Peter Harrison Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) - Andrew Sharpe Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) ## Report 2024-06 September 2024 58 pages ## Related research [Aggregate Labour Productivity Growth in Canada and the United States: Definitions, Trends and Measurement Issues Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) September 2004 | Report 2004-04 | 110 pages](https://csls.ca/research/aggregate-labour-productivity-growth-in-canada-and-the-united-states-definitions-trends-and-measurement-issues/) [The Relationship between Labour Productivity and Real Wage Growth in Canada and OECD Countries Andrew Sharpe, Jean-François Arsenault, Peter Harrison December 2008 | Report 2008-08 | 87 pages](https://csls.ca/research/the-relationship-between-productivity-and-real-wage-growth-in-canada-and-oecd-countries/) [Economic Security in an Index of Economic Well-being: The CSLS Approach to Economic Security Helen Boss Heslop December 2009 | Report 2009-13 | 30 pages](https://csls.ca/research/economic-security-in-an-index-of-economic-well-being-the-csls-approach-to-economic-security/) [Unbundling Canada’s Weak Productivity Performance: The Way Forward Andrew Sharpe February 2010 | Report 2010-02 | 57 pages](https://csls.ca/research/unbundling-canadas-weak-productivity-performance-the-way-forward/) [Can the Canada-U.S. ICT Investment Gap Be Explained by Measurement Issues? 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It covers definitions, concepts, and measurement issues including frameworks for understanding inputs, outputs, outcomes, and productivity. An international survey of government productivity measurement practices in the United States, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Finland, Australia, and OECD countries is provided. The report examines how Canada can improve public service productivity measurement and explores linkages between the People Management Framework and productivity. Ce rapport présente une recension exhaustive de la littérature sur la mesure de la productivité dans le secteur public, préparée pour le Secrétariat du Conseil du Trésor du Canada. Il aborde les définitions, les concepts et les enjeux de mesure, y compris les cadres permettant de comprendre les intrants, les extrants, les résultats et la productivité. Un survol international des pratiques de mesure de la productivité gouvernementale aux États-Unis, au Royaume-Uni, en Nouvelle-Zélande, en Finlande, en Australie et dans les pays de l’OCDE est présenté. Le rapport examine comment le Canada peut améliorer la mesure de la productivité de la fonction publique et explore les liens entre le Cadre de gestion des personnes et la productivité. [Download full PDF report](https://csls.ca/pdf/csls2024-06-1.pdf)