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Abstract

Cities continue to struggle to provide the level of goods and services demanded by their residents while federal and state support dwindles. One proposal for resolving this dilemma is privatization because it is assumed that the private sector is more efficient, at least partly as a result of more readily adopting efficiency enhancing techniques such as TQM. The electric power industry provides an excellent comparison between the public and private sectors because its units of input and output are easily quantifiable in standard terms, and meaningful measures of efficiency can be developed. This study uses data from a comprehensive survey of Florida’s electric power enterprises to determine the extent of TQM implementation; whether TQM has enhanced productivity; and whether there are measurable differences in efficiency between the state’s private and public sector power producers. The results provide a benchmark of current practice and productivity standards for Florida’s electric power industry.

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Benchmarking Florida’s Electric Power Enterprises

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