The Business of Government Magazine - Winter 2015 Edition
Government Transformation: Looking Back, Looking Forward
Two years ago, the IBM Center for The Business of Government put together a research agenda that still guides much of our work, in which we collaborated with government, academic, and nonprofit leaders to identify key areas of need for the public sector t
From the Managing Editor's Desk
With each edition, my goal is straightforward: to introduce readers to the works, insights, and advice from some of today’s key government executives, who are tackling significant management challenges and seizing opportunities to lead.
A Conversation with Charles F. Bolden, Jr. NASA Administrator
The United States stands at a pivotal moment in space exploration. There are plans to further extend our reach into the solar system, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is leading the way.
A Conversation with Lieutenant General Douglas Robb, M.D., Director, Defense Health Agency
Across the country, health care systems are focusing on ways to reduce variation in care, improve patient safety, and more effectively use health information technology to improve clinical decision making and outcomes.
A Conversation with Karen DeSalvo, M.D., National Coordinator for Health Information Technology and Acting Assistant Secretary for Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Information is the lifeblood of medicine and improving the availability and usage of health care information is foundational for enhancing the modern health care systems’ efficiency and effectiveness.
A Conversation with Steven VanRoekel, Chief Innovation Officer, USAID
Today’s challenging times underscore the need for innovation and efficiency in government. Information technology enables government agencies to deliver mission-based services to customers; in this case, the American people.
Insights from Victor Gavin, Program Executive Officer, Enterprise Information Systems, U.S. Department of the Navy
Information and technology are key strategic assets and are integral to the U.S. Department of the Navy’s (DON) information dominance efforts.
Insights from TJ Kennedy, Acting Executive Director, First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet)
Today’s public safety communications systems lack the capabilities of modern networks and commercial devices.
Insights from David Klaus, Deputy Under Secretary for Management and Performance, U.S. Department of Energy
The U.S. Department of Energy is responsible for advancing the energy, environmental, and nuclear security of the United States, promoting scientific and technological innovation in support of that mission, sponsoring basic research.
Insights from Dr. Johannes Kopf, Managing Director, Austrian Public Employment Service
Austria has a history of one of the lowest unemployment rates in Europe.
Insights from Tom Sharpe, Commissioner, Federal Acquisition Service, U.S. General Services Administration
Today, every federal agency operates in an environment in which budgets are tightening and the demand for services is increasing.
Perspective on the PerformanceStat Potential: A Leadership Strategy for Producing Results
It started two decades ago with CompStat in the New York City Police Department and quickly jumped to police agencies across the world as well as to other agencies within New York City. It was adapted by the City of Baltimore, which created CitiStat.
From Data to Decisions to Action— The Evolving Use of Data and Analytics in Government
In a world inundated with all kinds of information, timely, relevant, and more predictive data can drive better decision making.
Federal Risk Management: Under Construction
“By some estimates, taking out just nine critical electrical substations could plunge the whole nation into darkness,” says Jason Black, a researcher at Battelle Institute.
A New Road to Innovation: The U.S. Government Takes Major Strides Forward
Over the past year, the Obama Administration has introduced or enhanced a number of initiatives that bring innovators, new ideas, and process improvement to technology, acquisition, and program operations.
Best Practices for Succession Planning in Federal Government STEMM Positions
The Need to Focus on the Development of STEMM Human Capital: Four Drivers
Four Actions to Integrate Performance Information with Budget Formulation
Informing budget decisions with performance information is an important element of sound government management.
Inter-Organizational Networks: A Review of the Literature to Inform Practice
The use of inter-organizational networks as a strategy for public sector management, and the study of these networks by a diversity of scholars, has grown rapidly in the past 15 to 20 years.
Participatory Budgeting: Ten Actions to Engage Citizens via Social Media Platforms
Participatory budgeting, an innovation in direct citizen participation in government decision making, began 25 years ago in a town in Brazil. It has since been adopted by 1,000 other cities worldwide and by some U.S. cities as well.