How reports of suicides in Prussia help to interpret management data

Suicides in Prussia jumped 20% between 1882 and 1883 (Webb et al, 2000). The change did not reflect any great increase in depression, but the fact that the responsibility for record-keeping had transferred from the police to the civil service. Civil servants presumably displayed greater diligence in carrying out their duties. Prior to making policy changes based on statistics, managers should always check who is compiling statistics and under what circumstances they are being compiled. React to changing performance data, but first check their source.

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