WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ORGANIZATIONAL REVIEW--HOW AND WHY

In 1981 the Washington State Department of Transportation undertook a review of the agency to identify productivity improvements. The program yielded savings in nearly all functional areas without reducing service. The method for study relied on a three-person internal core team for management, with special sub-teams for technical subjects. One division was treated separately by a consultant. The Washington experience indicates the validity of using internal resources to bring about savings and changed attitudes toward productivity. The study, which took less than 2 years, evolved into a formal permanent productivity program in the department based on the foundation laid by the review. The program, demonstrating agency policies of cost consciousness and visible savings, is believed to have contributed to the success of efforts to increase state gasoline taxes by increasing agency political credibility. The authors do not offer their methods as a panacea to all state departments of transportation and highways, but believe that the internal approach to productivity improvements is worth considering.

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1984/1002/1002-002.pdf
• Summary URL:
  • https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=WASHINGTON+STATE+DEPARTMENT+OF+TRANSPORTATION+ORGANIZATIONAL+REVIEW--HOW+AND+WHY&author=V.+Korf&author=J.+Davis&publication_year=1984
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  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309038111
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Manpower Management and Productivity.
• Authors:
  • Korf, V W
  • Davis, J S
• Conference:
  • 63rd Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board
  • Location: Washington District of Columbia, United States
  • Date: 1984-1-16 to 1984-1-20
• Publication Date: 1984

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Pagination: pp 7-9
• Monograph Title: Labor and manpower management issues
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 1002
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Administration; Improvements; Productivity; Reviews; Savings; State departments of transportation
• Geographic Terms: Washington (State)
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; I10: Economics and Administration;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00450888
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309038111
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Feb 28 1986 12:00AM