Memorandum From the President on the National Productivity Council

Memorandum for the Heads of Departments and Agencies

Subject: Productivity Improvement Program

Today I have signed an Executive order establishing a National Productivity Council. I have established this Council in recognition of the vital role productivity plays in the Nation's economy by helping control inflation, making U.S. goods more competitive in world markets, and increasing the real income of the American worker.

The Council will serve as the focal point in the executive branch for efforts to improve productivity in the private and public sectors of our economy. One of its major functions will be to assure that these efforts are themselves carried out in the most productive fashion.

I would like to highlight the major responsibilities for improvement that are assigned by statute to the executive branch, and identify the departments and agencies to which I look for leadership in carrying out these responsibilities:

• Technological innovation, including improved management systems and production methods—Department of Commerce;

• Collection and dissemination of information on productivity and productivity improvement—Department of Commerce;

• Productivity growth through improved and innovative utilization of employee skills and capability—Department of Labor (in cooperation with the Department of Commerce);

• Protecting and improving the quality of working life of employees in conjunction with productivity improvement-Department of Labor (in cooperation with the Department of Commerce);

• Productivity measurement—Department of Labor;

• Labor-Management cooperation in productivity growth—Department of Labor;

• Productivity of the Federal Work Force—Civil Service Commission (in cooperation with the Office of Management and Budget); and

• Assuring that productivity concerns are taken into account in regulatory policy—Office of Management and Budget (including assuring consideration of productivity in regulatory analyses provided for in Executive Order 12044).

Improved productivity is vital to the social and economic well-being of our Nation. The Federal Government can make a major contribution to improving productivity. I expect all agencies to cooperate with and assist the Council in meeting its responsibilities so we realize maximum benefit from the Federal effort to improve productivity growth.

JIMMY CARTER