Nothing is stable in social security and, thus, the social security structures and financing mechanisms are constantly evolving.Therefore, governments may need to adapt these structures and mechanisms to the new circumstances, especially those arising after the recent economic downturn. Still remains the question how we can move forward in social security with efficiency and effectiveness with regard to the financing of the social security schemes.
Organizations take great pains to use technology to defend against outside attacks; they work hard to spot and stop the malicious insider who is willfully trying to do ill to systems. However, most organizations fall short in equipping their workers with best practices to make them part of the solution to information security.
While they find that many of the elements necessary for effective collaborative ventures are critical — such as a clear purpose, dedicated staff, and the willingness to be flexible — they conclude that a bilateral collaborative venture is often more effective when it has a formal legal structures in place that enhance its legitimacy in the eyes of various stakeholders. Informal collaborations are often useful precursors to more formal efforts. These informal
The Brief is published at a time when states are grappling with how to reduce spending on Medicaid. In the face of significant budget shortfalls, some states are proposing to drop hundreds of thousands of low-income adults from Medicaid.
The use of prizes and awards is a visible element of the Obama Administration’s efforts to promote innovation in government. For example, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has sponsored a competition among federal employees to find cost savings and the White House has created the “challenge.gov” website where federal agencies can pose problems in hopes of getting solutions from the public. OMB issued guidance to encourage agencies to offer challenges and prizes, as well.
The release of this report comes on the heels of the first anniversary of the Open Government Directive issued in December 2009. This Directive required all executive departments and agencies to take the following steps toward the goal of creating a more open government:
This report offers practical implementation advice to agency leaders and front-line managers faced with implementing the newly-enacted law expanding telework opportunities to over one million federal workers.
Telework has been touted as being a winning strategy for government. A study by the Telework Research Network claims potential savings for the federal government of nearly $3.8 billion as a result of reduced real estate costs, electricity savings, reduced absenteeism, and reduced employee turnover.
While the financial management community has made significant progress over the years, it continues to face challenges in meeting some of the basic standards for accounting and reporting. Many agencies currently use outdated financial systems that do not support their efforts to improve financial performance and accountability. Efforts made to improve financial systems through upgrades or replacement of current financial systems must be undertaken with planning and care.
