WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE ON PRODUCTIVITY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP85M00364R001903620004-0
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 13, 2007
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: April 12, 1983
• Content Type: REPORT

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THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press-Secretary
For Immediate Release April 12, 1983
White House Conference on Productivity
The National Productivity Advisory Committee, established
by President Reagan in 1981, announced today that it will
convene the White House Conference on Productivity on
September 22-23, 1983, in Washington, D.C.
William E. Simon will chair and L. William Seidman will
co,chair the Conference and a steering committee established
to., `oversee planning for the Conference. Other members of the
steering committee include Lewis M. Branscomb, Harold J. Buoy,
John T. Dunlop, C. Jackson Grayson, Congressman John J. LaFalce,
Paul W. O'Neill, Senator William V. Roth, Jr., and Jayne Baker
Spain. Jack L. Courtemanche will serve as Director of the
Conference. In addition six subject matter committees will
review all recommendations and suggestions received from
individuals and organizations and ensure that areas specified
in the legislation creating the Conference are considered.
In preparation for the final White House Conference,
there will be four preparatory conferences conducted in
different locations in the United States, beginning in June
1983, to consider specific issues and recommendations for
stimulating productivity. Interested individuals and
organizations are invited to submit their suggestions on what
action government, community, employee and business
organizations can take to improve productivity growth in the
United States.
All suggestions and requests for information should be
sent to The White House Conference on Productivity, The
White House, Washington, D.C. 20500.
On October 25, 1982, President Reagan signed legislation
calling for a White House Conference on Productivity to
develop recommendations for stimulating productivity growth in
the United States. The President assigned responsibility for
conducting this Conference to the National Productivity
Advisory Committee, and expressed his belief that "under the
auspices of the National Productivity Advisory Committee, a
White House Conference on Productivity could make a signifi-
cant contribution to the ongoing efforts in this area."
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Office of the Press Secretary
For 'Immediate Release
White House Conference on Productivity
Background Information
The legislation authorizing the White House Conference on
Productivity, P.L. 97-367,-specifies that the Conference
should bring together experts and representatives of business,
labor, academic and government organizations to develop
background and recommendations on improving productivity
growth. It outlines 11 policy areas for the Conference to
consider with regard to their role in improving productivity:
1. Reorganizing the Federal Government to promote
productivity improvement;
2.
Promoting the benefits which result from
implementing- productivity improvement techniques,
Improving the general training and skill level of
American labor;
4. Informing American businesses of foreign technology
developments;
5. Sharing government research with industry;
6. Establishing awards for businesses and industries
that make improvements in productivity;
7. Revising the tax laws to improve productivity;
8. Reviewing the effects of antitrust laws on
productivity;-
9. Reviewing our patent laws;
10. Improving the accuracy and reliability of
productivity measures;
11. Revising Federal civil service laws.
The legislation provides for sending a conference report
and recommendations to the President within 120 days of the
.Conference. It further provides for the President to send the
Congress, within 120 days from the date he receives the
conference report, his recommendations for legislative and
administrative action necessary to implement the Conference
recommendations he supports.
Conference Objectives
The White House Conference on Productivity will pursue
four principal objectives:
1. Develop Recommendations. The legislation
specifically mandates that the Conference develop
recommendations for actions to stimulate productivity growth.
To.assure that it provides the President,with the best options
available, the Conference will use the recommendations
developed already by the Advisory Committee as the basis for
Conference proposals and will review additional suggestions
submitted by interested individuals and groups.
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2. Increase Public Awareness. While many Americans are
generally aware of a productivity "problem," most are unaware
of the nature of the challenge or of the public policies
necessary to meet it. The Conference will provide opportuni-
ties for a wide-ranging discussion on productivity, and what
government, business, labor,-and private institutions can do
to improve it.
3. Promote Private Initiatives. In addition to
discussing what government has done and can do to promote
productivity growth, the Conference will focus on the role of
business, labor and private institutions in meeting the
productivity challenge. Many firms and organizations have
been-very successful in generating relatively high levels of
productivity and in instituting systems for eliminating
impediments to productivity. The Conference can provide a
forum for making others aware of these'initiatives.
4. Facilitate Public Debate. 'Fundamental reforms in
government policies can occur only with broad based public
support. The Conference can provide a forum for business,.
labor and-acad'emic leaders- to debate such fundamental reforms
without committing the Administration or the Congress to a
position in advance. Moving to a simpler and more fair tax
code is an example of an issue that merits further public
debate.
Organization of the Conference
The National Productivity Advisory Committee (NPAC),
which has overall responsibility for overseeing the White
House Conference on Productivity, has established a series of
committees to provide direction and to review Conference
planning and activities.
1. Chairman and Co-Chairman of the Conference.
William E. Simon, Chairman of the NPAC, will serve as the
Chairman of the White House Conference on Productivity.
L. William Seidman will serve as the Co-Chairman.
2. Director of the Conference. Jack L. Courtemanche
will serve as the Director of the White House Conference on
Productivity. Mr. Courtemanche is the former owner and
President of Crown Coach Company, a Los Angeles, California,
manufacturer of buses and fine 'coaches. Previously, he was
.President of Automotive Equipment Company in Portland, Oregon,
and had served prior to that as Vice-President of Mack Trucks,
Inc. in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
3. Steering Committee. To provide direction and
guidance to the various individuals that will be responsible
for the different elements of the Conference activities, the
Advisory Committee has appointed a Steering Committee composed
of the following individuals:
William E. Simon, Chairman
Wesray Corporation
Lewis M. Branscomb
~? IBM Corporation
John T. Dunlop
Harvard University
John J. LaFalce
House of Representatives
L. William Seidman, Co-Chairman
Arizona State University
Harold J. Buoy
Boilermakers International
C. Jackson Grayson
American Productivity Center
Paul W. MacAvoy
Yale University
Paul H. O'Neill William V. Roth, Jr.
International Paper Company United States Senate
Jayne Baker Spain
George Washington University
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In addition, the Committee will be working with the six
subject matter committees and other labor, business, academic
and government representatives.
4. Six Subject Matter Committees. The NPAC has also
established subject matter committees of individuals who have
expertise in particular areas for which recommendations may be
developed. The committees and their chairmen are:
Committee
Capital'Investment
Human Resources
Research, Development and
Technological Innovation
Role of Government
in the Economy
Government, Organization
and Operations
Private Sector Initiatives
Chairman
L. William Seidman
John T. Dunlop
Lewis M. Branscomb
Paul W. MacAvoy
Paul H. O'Ne-ill
C. Jackson Grayson
The committees will be responsible for examining issue
areas specified in the legislation and any others that may be
added by the Conference Chairman or Co-Chairman.
The committees will review recommendations provided by
the public and also will ensure that recommendations are
developed in each of the issue areas specified in the
legislation calling for the White House Conference.
Recommendations should be submitted to the White House
Conference office at least two weeks before the preparatory
conference scheduled to consider the issue area.
5. Preparatory Conferences. The Advisory Committee
believes that holding a select number of preparatory
conferences will enhance the opportunities for achieving the
Conference objectives. These conferences will be held on
university campuses, or in other public facilities that will
be readily accessible to the public. Four preparatory
conferences are planned on the following subjects:
Capital Investment Human Resources
Durham, North Carolina St. Louis, Missouri
June 14-16, 1983 June 21-23, 1983
Government Organization and Private. Sector Initiatives
Operation, and Role of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Government in the Economy August 2-4, 1983
San Diego, California
July 19-21, 1983
6. White House Conference. The final White House
Conference on Productivity will be held in Washington, D.C.,
on September 22-23, 1983. Attendance at the Conference will
be. open to the public, but space'limitations require that it
be arranged in advance, by, September 1, through the White
House Conference offices.,
The.final Conference will"include presentations and
discussions by. the committees based on the papers and
recommendations received from the public or developed in their
preparatory conferences.
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7. Conference Participation. Representatives of the
Congress, the Administration, state and local governments,
business and labor organizations, academic institutions and
other'organizations with relevant interests in productivity
.will be invited to participate in the White House Conference.
Although participation will be by invitation, members of the
public can arrange to present their papers, recommendations or
views during an appropriate comment period during the
preparatory conferences, in writing or by advance arrangement
with the Conference. office.
Conference participants'or their- sponsoring organizations
will pay their expenses for attending or participating in
preparatory conferences, committee meetings or the final
conference.
8. Conference Office. The official Conference office
will be in Washington, D.C. Any correspondence or recommenda-
tions should be submitted to:
The White House Conference on Productivity
The White House-
Washington, D.C. 20500
The telephone number for the White House Conference office is
202-395-7362. All recommendations-, suggestions and
nominations for participation should be submitted in writing
to the Conference office and accompanied by a one-page
summary .
National Productivity Advisory Committee
The National Productivity Advisory Committee was
established by President Reagan in Executive Order 12332 on
November 10, 1981. Its members are:
William E. Simon, Chairman
Wesray Corporation
Morristown, New Jersey
Harold J. Buoy
Boilermakers International
Kansas City, Kansas
Lamar Alexander
Governor of Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Jesse M. Calhoon
National Marine Engineers
Beneficial Association
Washington, D.C.
Justin Dart
Dart & Kraft, Inc.
Los Angeles, California
John T. Dunlop
Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Clifton C. Garvin
Exxon Corporation
Ne\v York, New York
Peter Grace
W.R. Grace,& Company
New York, New York
Robert E. Hall
Stanford University
Stanford, California
Lewis M. Branscomb
IBM Corporation
Armonk, New York
Nicholas T. Camicia
The Pittston Company
Greenwich, Connecticut
Michael K. Deaver
The White House
Washington, D.C.
Martin Feldstein
Council of Economic Advisers
Washington, D.C.
Harvey Goldstein
'Singer, Lewak, Greenbaum
& Goldstein
Los Angeles, California
C. Jackson Grayson
American Productivity Center
Houston, Texas
David T. Kearns
Xerox Corporation
Stamford, Connecticut
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Alfred H. Kingon
Consultant
Washington, D.C.
William Konyha
Brotherhood of Carpenters
and Joiners of America
Washington, D.C.
.Paul W. MacAvoy-
Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut
Ruben F. Mettler
TRW Corporation
Cleveland, Ohio
Paul H. O'Neill
International Paper Company
New York, New York
John H. Perkins
Continental Illinois
Bank & Trust Company
Chicago, Illinois
Maurice R. Schurr
Brotherhood of Teamsters
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
L. William Seidman
Arizona State University
Tempe, Arizona
Jayne Baker Spain
George Washington University
Washington, D.C.
Charles F. Knight
Emerson Electric Company
St. Louis, Missouri
Laurence W. Lane, Jr.
Lane Publishing Company
Menlo Park, California
Donald S. MacNaughton
Hospital Corporation of America
Nashville, Tennessee
John J. O'Donnell
Air Line Pilots Association
Washington, D.C.
Gerald L. Parsky
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher
Washington. D.
Richard F. Schubert
American Red Cross
Washington, D.C.
Donald V. Seibert
J. C. Penney Company
New York, New York
Roger B. Smith
General Motors Corporation
Detroit, Michigan
Arnold R. Weber
University of Colorado
Boulder, Colorado
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