Productivity Measurement in the Public Sector

Governments either provide various goods and services at no cost or at highly subsidized prices. It is usually possible to measure the quantities of these government-sector outputs and inputs as well as input prices, but the problem is how to estimate the corresponding output prices. Once meaningful output prices have been estimated, the measurement of productivity growth using index numbers can proceed in the usual manner. This chapter suggests three possible general methods for measuring public-sector output prices and quantities. Specific measurement issues in the health and education sectors are discussed. Similar output and productivity measurement issues arise in the regulated sectors of an economy since regulated producers are forced to provide services at prices that are not equal to marginal or average unit costs. Finally, the problems associated with measuring capital services are discussed.