It’s no secret that companies have for some time successfully analyzed data to gain a competitive edge. Now that competitive analytics and business intelligence techniques are mainstream, to what extent can government use these techniques to enhance its own performance and make better decisions? We had opportunity to explore this topic and more with Tom Davenport, distinguished professor in information technology and management at Babson College and co-author of an IBM Center report, Strategic Use of Analytics in government. He is also co-author of Competing on Analytics: The new Science of Winning. Professor Davenport was a guest on The Business of Government Hour, and the following contribution to this forum is based on that interview.