This book addresses in different ways the prospect of improving the performance of government and nonprofit organizations. The chapters are clustered around enduring management challenges that may influence productivity in the public sector. Fifteen chapters discuss the challenges to productivity posed by immediate and distant changes in the economic, political, and administrative environment. The book begins with a foreword by Frank P. Sherwood and "Introduction: The Challenges of Management in a Changing World," by Geert Bouckaert and Arie Halachmi. Articles in part 1 address some issues that shape the image of agencies: (1) "The Perception of Organizational Incompetence" (J. Steven Ott and Jay M. Shafritz); (2) "Benefits and Costs of Conventional Management Practices" (Gerald T. Gabris); and (3) "Understanding Red Tape and Bureaucratic Delays" (Stuart I. Bretschneider and Barry Bozeman). Articles in the second part examine management tools to revitalize public organizations: (4) "The Role of Information Systems in Supporting Total Quality Management and Improved Productivity" (John M. Stevens, Anthony G. Cahill, E. Sam Overman, and Lee Frost-Kumpf); (5) "Quality, Reengineering, and Performance: Managing Change in the Public Sector" (Albert C. Hyde); (6) "Evaluating Total Quality Management Efforts" (Laurance R. Geri); (7) "Volunteer Programs in the Public Sector: Benefits and Challenges for Public Management" (Jeffrey L. Brudney); and (8) "The Challenges of a Competitive Public Sector" (Arie Halachmi). Articles in part 3 describe tools for strategic planning, transformation, and innovation: (9) "Creating the Future Together: Developing and Using Shared Strategy Maps" (John M. Bryson and Charles B. Finn); (10) "The Dance of What and How: Creating and Sustaining Organizational Transformation" (Paul C. Nutt and Robert W. Backoff); (11) "Managing Innovation and Reform" (Walter L. Balk); and (12) "Strategies for Public Sector Modernization" (Helmut Klages and Oliver Haubner). Chapters in part 4 address the issues of performance and productivity: (13) "Improving Performance Measurement" (Geert Bouckaert); and (14) "The Public Productivity Challenge" (Marc Holzer). References accompany each chapter. A name and subject index are included. (LMI)