In an increasingly interconnected and networked world, information possesses such significant power that it can no longer be viewed simply as an enabler to meeting one’s mission. The U.S. Navy has recognized the challenges posed in the information age and has sought to evolve its warfighting capabilities to reflect this changing landscape.

After a 15-year slumber, the Administrative Conference of the U.S. has returned. It held its first meeting last week since it was reconstituted earlier this year. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Scalia swore in the 100 new members of the Conference, noting “your job is to improve the administrative process throughout the government.”

OMB recently established government-wide policies associated with financial systems modernization. In response, IBM looked at our own work in delivering financial management services, and developed a set of principles for how best to deploy financial systems in alignment with OMB’s goals. Our experience indicates that following these principles will result in both better financial systems for agencies, as well as better management and accountability for taxpayers.

I just came back from a brief exotic trip to the U.S. Virgin Islands where the government is serious about making itself more efficient and effective. I was asked to describe how the U.S. reinvention effort of the 1990s was run, and how state governments today are dealing with their challenges.