The Business of Government Magazine - Fall/Winter 2011 Edition
From the Executive Director
A Time for Transformational Change
From the Managing Editor's Desk
In this issue of The Business of Government magazine, we survey the intersection where leadership, complex challenges, and the need for transformation meet. Whether it’s in the response to the global financial crisis or the national deficit.
A Conversation with Dr. Kathleen Merrigan, Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture
First called the People’s Department by President Lincoln, the United States Department of Agriculture is a diverse and complex organization. From enhancing economic opportunities for agricultural producers to protecting the nation’s food supply.
A Conversation with Jonathan Woodson, M.D., Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, U.S. Department of Defense
The medical mission of the U.S. Department of Defense is to enhance DoD’s and the country’s security by providing health support for a full range of military operations, as well as sustaining the health of all service members and their families.
A Conversation with Linda Gibbs, Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services, City of New York
In an era of fiscal constraint marked by shrinking budgets and an increasing demand on services, government executives are confronted with very difficult choices that go to the heart of effective leadership.
David Lebryk
From collecting revenue to disbursing payments, the mission of the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Financial Management Service (FMS) is as varied as it is important.
Dr. Paul Anastas
Today’s environmental challenges appear more complex and ever more challenging. As science advances, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) continues to play an integral role in addressing these challenges.
David Matsuda
The U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) has a varied and vital mission—advancing the economic competitiveness of the United States while supporting a viable, safe, and secure U.S. merchant marine initiative for commerce and emergency response.
Dr. Nick Nayak
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has an expansive mission, and managing its resources efficiently and effectively as “One DHS” is key to successfully meeting that mission.
Shaping the Future of the National Guard: Insights from Colonel Donald H. Dellinger Deployment Director, National Guard Joint Continuous Process Improvement Initiative
Whether the call is coming from a state governor or directly from the president of the United States, the National Guard must be always ready to respond and engage whether at home or abroad.
Introduction: Changing the Way the U.S. Department of Defense Does Business
The U.S. Department of Defense is one of the largest and most complex organizations in the world, managing a budget more than twice that of the world’s largest corporation and overseeing millions of personnel operating worldwide.
Perspectives From Robert Hale Under Secretary of Defense and Comptroller U.S. Department of Defense
At the time of his nomination by President Barack Obama in January 2009, Robert Hale was Executive Director of the American Society of Military Comptrollers (ASMC), the professional association of Defense financial managers.
Perspectives from Beth McGrath Deputy Chief Management Officer U.S. Department of Defense
On July 1, 2010, Beth McGrath was sworn in as the U.S. Department of Defense’s first Deputy Chief Management Officer, a Senate-confirmed and politically appointed position.
Introduction: Leading in an Era of Complex Challenges
Today governments are facing very serious, seemingly intractable public management issues that go to the core of effective governance and leadership, testing the very form, structure, and capacity required to meet these problems head-on.
Managing Recovery: An Insider’s View
Ed DeSeve oversaw the implementation of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. He provides an insider’s view on managing the administration’s efforts, describing a series of key decisions made by the administration.
A Leader’s Guide to Transformation
Robert Reisner, an expert in government transformation, has culled these insights in his recent IBM Center report, A Leader’s Guide to Transformation: Developing a Playbook for Successful Change Initiatives.
The Rise and Fall of the Space Shuttle: Leadership Lessons
The space shuttle was a remarkable technological creation— perhaps the most complex machine ever built.
The Cyber Underground Economy: Unconventional Thinking for a Fundamentally Different Problem
Government officials have warned of the potential for a cyber Pearl Harbor that paralyzes one or more critical components of the country’s public and private infrastructures.
Managing the Complicated vs. the Complex
Understanding the difference between a complicated problem and a complex one is important for today’s leaders.
A Guide to Data-Driven Performance Reviews
The GPRA Modernization Act of 2010 requires each federal agency to identify a set of priority goals, designate someone to be the goal leader for each goal, review progress toward these goals, and publicly report at least quarterly on that progress.
Virginia’s Implementation of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act: Forging a New Intergovernmental Partnership
In 2009, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARA) provided a one-time boost in spending to state and local governments of more than $275 billion which was distributed via 65 different federal programs.
Use of Dashboards in Government
The use of dashboards in federal government agencies increased dramatically following the Obama administration’s Open Government Initiative issued in January 2009, which espoused the principles of transparency, participation, and collaboration.