Becoming an Effective Political Executive: 7 Lessons from Experienced Appointees

Submitted by on Thu, 03/12/2009 - 20:00

This report was prepared to assist new political appointees as they enter the political world of Washington, D.C. The study is based on two surveys of previous political appointees, as well as personal interviews with nearly 50 former political executives from both Democratic and Republican administrations. Their experiences have been distilled into seven key lessons: turn to your careerists, partner with your political colleagues, remember the White house, collaborate with Congress, think media, pace yourself, and enjoy the job.

The Quest to Become One

Submitted by on Thu, 03/12/2009 - 20:00

This report examines the efforts by three federal organizations--the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Transportation, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration--to change the behavior of those within the organization to move in greater concert toward the achievement of organizational goals. The three initiatives--One VA, ONE DOT, and One NASA--were each unique and faced distinct challenges. The report examines what it means for a federal organization to become "one," the hurdles each agency faced, and which strategies appear to work well.

The Blended Workforce: Maximizing Agility Through Nonstandard Work Arrangements

Submitted by on Thu, 03/12/2009 - 20:00

This report examines the current use of nonstandard work arrangements in the federal government (such as part time, seasonal, on call and temporary help), and determines whether opportunities for expanded use exist. Three government case studies are conducted for this research, which include Naval Research/Naval Research Laboratory, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Glenn Research Center, and the Transportation Security Administration.

Federal Credit Programs: Managing Risk in the Information Age

Submitted by on Thu, 03/12/2009 - 20:00

This report highlights the fundamental tensions that federal credit programs face between doing good and doing well. On the one hand, the government provides support through loans and loan guarantees to borrowers who are not considered adequately served by commercial credit markets. On the other hand, the government cannot afford to lose large amounts of money by paying for an unacceptable number of defaults on federal loans.

Cooperation Between Social Security and Tax Agencies in Europe

Submitted by on Thu, 03/12/2009 - 20:00

This report contends that as social policy continues to evolve, governments now may need to look beyond the traditional structures of social security and taxation. Today, there are varying levels of interaction between those organizations in European nations.

Investing in Supply Chain Security: Collateral Benefits

Submitted by on Thu, 03/12/2009 - 20:00

This report asserts that while the United States and other governments have taken steps to secure international transportation systems, supply chains remain vulnerable to terrorist attacks and are exposed to the introduction of unauthorized people or weapons. It also responds to an industry concern that government action to impose tougher standards and processes erodes trade efficiency by adding cost and complexity. In this report, Rice and Spayd help business leaders and security managers quantify the business case for increasing investment in security.

Assessing the Impact of IT-Driven Education in K-12 Schools

Submitted by on Thu, 03/12/2009 - 20:00

This report details a methodology that may be used to assess educational return on investment (ROI), in particular in the area of technology investments. The analysis of ROI in education is fundamental in the management philosophy and application of data-driven decision making. School leaders must know which programs deliver the biggest value for the dollar spent in order to target funding where it is needed most.

Leveraging Collaborative Networks in Infrequent Emergency Situations

Submitted by on Thu, 03/12/2009 - 20:00

This research reviews a highly successful model of network collaboration that contained the outbreak of Exotic Newcastle disease, (a highly contagious disease among poultry), in California in 2002. The success of the effort was in part the result of the incident management system approach taken, a model of collaboration broadly applicable to all infrequent emergency situations. disaster preparedness, disease, contagious, fatal, public emergency, emergencies, california, caCollaboration: Networks and Partnerships

Computerisation and E-Government in Social Security: A Comparative International Study

Submitted by on Thu, 03/12/2009 - 20:00

This international study provides comparative data on the history of computerization, the current scope, past and present aims, and consequences (for organization, costs and procedural justice) of computerization, surveillance and data collection, the relationship between policy makers and computer professionals, and experience of and attitudes to new and emerging technologies in 13 OECD countries.

The Transformation of the Government Accountability Office: Using Human Capital to Drive Change

Submitted by on Thu, 03/12/2009 - 20:00

The authors present an honest description of the transformation of the GAO. The report openly discusses challenges faced and overcome, mistakes made, and lessons learned. It challenges the reader to think broadly about human capital management as a driver for organizational transformation and what it can mean for the public sector as a whole. Like the Government Accountability Office, other public and private organizations have also successfully used human capital management to transform their organizations. Three keys appear to be essential to such transformation.

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