The concept of "benchmarking" as applied to the public sector tends to use quantitative indicators and comparisons over time to encourage progress in achieving social objectives and effectiveness. This case describes the origin and implementation of one of the most ambitious comparative analysis of the United States should be a program from the period of initial enthusiasm legislative disappointment - and the efforts of a new director to divert and re-energize the effort. Overall, this raises the question of what kind of social goals are well suited for benchmarking process and how government agencies respond. Couple with the case further (HKS846). HKS Case Number 1554.0. "Hide
by Pamela Varley, Steve Kelman Source: Harvard Business School 30 pages. Publication Date: January 1, 1999. Prod. #: HKS845-PDF-ENG