Eight Strategies for Transforming Government

Based on our recent research and perspectives shared by current and former government, academic, and nonprofit leaders, this special report identifies eight strategies for transforming government in the years to come.

A close-up image shows interconnected puzzle pieces forming a globe, each piece labeled with business-related terms. Words such as 'WORKPLACE', 'OUTCOMES', 'DIGITAL', 'INSIGHTS', 'AGILITY', 'RESILIENCE', 'TRUST', and 'EQUITY' are clearly visible. The color palette is predominantly blue, creating a modern and professional mood. The image conveys themes of collaboration, strategy, and organizational values.

By

Dan Chenok

Executive Director

IBM Center for The Business of Government chenokd@us.ibm.com

G. Edward DeSeve

Coordinator of the Agile Government Center

National Academy of Public Administration (215)692-7357 gedeseve@gmail.com

Michael J. Keegan

Leadership Fellow & Host, The Business of Government Hour

IBM Center for The Business of Government michael.j.keegan@us.ibm.com

Karin O'Leary

Lead Account Partner, U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Courts, IBM Consulting

Fellow, IBM Center for The Business of Government Karin.OLeary@ibm.com

Mark F. Newsome

IBM Center for The Business of Government Healthcare Fellow

and IBM Senior Partner - Industry Leader, U.S. Federal Healthcare Consulting mnewsom@us.ibm.com

Importantly, the areas address both individual trends influencing government, and topics that can be addressed with even greater impact if assessed in a way that integrates across trends—such as driving an agile approach to digital innovation that improves outcomes. This integrative approach is especially true for how different trends relate to equity across government programs and foster trust in government institutions, information, and services—two new areas that government leaders and stakeholders have highlighted as important topics for Center research.

  • Restoring Trust in Government: Defining Strategies and Tools to Actively Engage the Public
  • Driving Agility: Enhancing Mission Support and Delivery
  • Addressing Equity: Understanding Distributional Effects of Services and Promoting Inclusion and Diversity in Operations
  • Developing Actionable Insights: Using Data and Evidence to Inform Decision Making and Achieve Results
  • Attaining Effective Outcomes: Supporting Program Performance and Performance Management Strategies
  • Accelerating Digital: Leveraging Innovation and Emerging Technologies to Modernize IT
  • Fostering Resilient Institutions: Managing Risk and Building Resiliency
  • Reimagining the Government Workplace: Preparing Today’s Workforce for Tomorrow’s Challenges

Through research into these eight topics, the Center will continue to communicate what leading experts know about effective practices and lessons learned for government leaders and stakeholders. Such communications can promote public understanding of the benefits that a well-functioning government delivers, which can help to drive trust in government.

IBM Center supported research can also help governments in the U.S. and across the world continue to focus on controlling costs while improving the performance of their operations, meeting the key challenge facing public sector executives to transform their organizations in an environment of constrained resources—a goal brought into clear focus from the response and recovery to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Moreover, driving meaningful and sustained change in government requires a focus on innovative, effective, equitable, and efficient decision making and implementation to achieve positive, significant, and lasting outcomes.