US and UK Routes to Employment: Strategies to Improve Integrated Service Delivery to People with Disabilities

In this report, the authors examine the experience of the United States and United Kingdom in developing effective strategies for providing integrated service delivery. The report examines what works and what doesn't work, and provides a roadmap to improving services for individuals with disabilities. While more research is needed, the report identifies 12 strategies to strengthen integrated service delivery systems, and to assist individuals with disabilities in gaining and maintaining productive employment.

Increasing Transparency and Accountability in Federal Performance Reporting: Lessons from the OMB Pilot Program

In 2006, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) authorized the Performance and Accountability Reporting (PAR) Pilot Program, which permitted executive branch agencies to use an alternative approach to reporting financial and performance information. Eleven departments and agencies volunteered to participate in the FY 2007 PAR Pilot Program. Three initiatives were held to assess and share lessons learned from the PAR Pilot Program.

Launching a New Mission: Michael Griffin and NASA's Return to the Moon

President George W. Bush told NASA to return to the moon and prepare for manned exploration of Mars. The man he put in charge, Michael Griffin, was a certified rocket scientist with a passion for manned space exploration. In the four years he served as NASA Administrator, Griffin was continually forced to make controversial financial tradeoffs that brought him into conflict with constituencies who disagreed with him. He did, however, make significant progress in redirecting NASA toward the new Moon-Mars program.

Transforming Information Technology at the Department of Veterans Affairs

Jonathan Walters' report chronicles the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) efforts to realign and centralize its information technology activities. Describing it as an "ambitious, audacious and arduous crusade," Walters makes it very clear that this is still very much a work in progress. There are significant hurdles ahead and certain significant adjustments will no doubt need to be made for this ambitious undertaking to be ultimately implemented and sustained by the VA.

Transformation of the Department of Defense's Business Systems

The Department of Defense launched an ambitious effort to transform its vast network of back office mission support systems in 2001. It has since invested large amounts of funding in the effort. What progress has been achieved to date? What has been its impact? This report provides answers and insights into these questions as it assesses the progress of this effort.

Working with the Media

A part of the larger report, "Becoming an Effective Political Executive:
7 Lessons from Experienced Appointees," the essay "Working with the Media" describes how political appointees can work with the media. The essay covers technique, how to minimize the impact of bad news, offensive and defensive strategies, and how to survive in the government/media culture.

Working with the Congress

A part of a larger report, "Becoming an Effective Political Executive:
7 Lessons from Experienced Appointees," the "Working with the Congress" essay describes how political appointees can work with Congress. The essay provides an overview of how Congress functions, how decisions on money and programs are made, appropriators and authorizers, legislators and their constituencies, oversight, and how to get things done.

Working with Career Executives to Manage for Results

A part of the report, "Becoming an Effective Political Executive: 7 Lessons from Experienced Appointees," this essay, "Working with Career Executives to Manage for Results" provides an overview of how political appointees can work with career executives. The essay describes The Government Performance and Results Act and The President's Management Agenda and then provides three case studies to evaluate the effectiveness of these two reform efforts.

Working to Transform Your Organization

A part of the larger report, "Becoming an Effective Political Executive: 7 Lessons from Experienced Appointees," this essay, "Working to Transform Your Organization," describes how political appointees can successfully transform organizations. Four organizations were chosen as case studies and eight common lessons emerged about how leaders successfully undertake large-scale transformation initiatives.

Winning the Best and Brightest: Increasing the Attraction of Public Service

This report examines the ways in which public policy training at two elite institutions shapes the public service orientations of students in these programs. The study focuses on the important question of how the goals and aspirations of policy students interact with policy training to shape their career trajectories. The findings of this project are useful to public policy education leaders seeking to improve their programs, particularly in a way that supports the goals of a revitalized public sector.Human Capital Management

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