Trans-Atlantic Experiences in Health Reform: The United Kingdom's National Health Service and the United States Veterans Health Administration

This report includes a comparative study of the NHS and VHA reforms, and examines how two large public systems responded to the challenge of health reform. The study evaluates the reform impacts on health service delivery in each setting, explores how implementation was managed, and describes the effects on organization, workforce, and culture. Organizational Transformation

 

A Changing Workforce: Understanding Diversity Programs in the Federal Government

This report assesses the scope and effectiveness of the "managing diversity" initiatives undertaken by many federal agencies. Despite the significant amount of public funding expended on these inititatives, there has been very little systematic evaluation of their success. This study identifies those practices that have been most effective in creating an equitable work environment. Human Capital Management

A Weapon on the War for Talent: Using Special Authorities to Recruit Crucial Personnel

To meet the need for highly skilled professionals and administrators whose talents are in great demand in the public and private sectors, Congress has given special authority to certain federal agencies to hire such people under streamlined procedures and at salaries that are very high by federal standards. This report inventories and describes the various applications of these authorities in different agencies. The study analyzes the uses to which these authorities have been put and assesses their value to the agencies.

Innovation in E-Procurement: The Italian Experience

Italy's new public procurement system, created through Consip--a public company owned by the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance--is the focus of this report. Consip created a new information technology platform and new operational procedures for public acquisitions that included an electronic catalog, online auctions, and an electronic marketplace. Working as a public company, Consip was designed to minimize red tape, recruit a highly educated workforce, and be more responsive to clients.

The Role of Contractors in Government: Have We Gone Too Far?

There has been a longstanding recognition that the federal government does not have enough employees with the requisite skills to meet every agency need. Agencies obtain real advantages in employing contractors that can offer specialized skills to handle short-term requirements. Moreover, using a competitive selection process helps to bring both efficiency and innovation to address government needs.

Managing Workfare: The Case of the Work Experience Program in the New York City Parks Department

This report examines the implementation of welfare reform in the United States, specifically in New York City. In the future, many local governments will be faced with the challenge and opportunities presented by the presence of former welfare recipients in the workforce. New York City has the largest local workfare population in the United States, and the New York City Parks Department manages one of the city's largest Work Experience Program (WEP) workforces. Innovation

 

The Multisector Workforce: How Can We Manage It Better?

Over the last 15 years federal government managers have relied on a much broader and more diverse set of personnel for carrying out agency missions, with private sector contractors assuming a much greater role than in the past. A key question is what are the implications of this shift to a multisector workforce for how federal agencies accomplish their missions. A more robust human capital planning process is needed to address multisector workforce issues.

Preparing for Wireless and Mobile Technologies in Government

This report seeks to fill the gap that exists in understanding the technology readiness of the government workforce and the impact on leveraging wireless technology for e-government applications. Technology and E-Government

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