Management

This report examines five diverse case studies in which collaboration depended on the effective use of information technology. The authors assess the political, administrative, and technical challenges that occurred in each of these five case studies and find commonalities across the cases in both the challenges faced and lessons learned. They conclude, "Interestingly, the technical challenges tended to be the least difficult to surmount...."

This report can be viewed as a public manager’s primer on collaborative networks. It distills key concepts about the types and purposes of networks and, more importantly, what managers need to do if they find themselves in charge of or participating in a network. Authors’ practical insights are rooted in more than two decades of observing ongoing networks, mainly at the local and regional levels, where much of the innovative work in using networks is occurring.

This report is targeted to the growing pool of government managers who are responsible for managing professional services contracts. It gleans a dozen best practices, based on real-world experience, currently used by successful managers across the government. A major theme of these experiences is the importance of creating a more effective working relationship-much more like a partnership than the traditional adversarial relationship-between the project officer, the contract manager, and the contractor.

There are new and exciting opportunities to engage citizens by informing, consulting, involving, and collaborating with them through a number of techniques; for example, the use of online surveys and peer-to-peer communication tools such as blogs and wikis. Many of these are now being piloted and used by states, localities, and nonprofits. There is also an increased interest by federal agencies. But the challenge of reaching those who don’t already participate as activists or interest group members remains.

This report describes the tenure of Sean O’Keefe as administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The report describes how O’Keefe faced three difficult challenges during his three years at NASA. His first challenge was to solve the space station’s financial mess. His second challenge was to manage the aftermath of the Columbia shuttle disaster. His third challenge was to steward the President’s 2004 vision for the further exploration of space.

This report describes how the federal grant system has come under increased stress in recent years. In an effort to modernize the grant system, the report analyzes three recent reform initiatives in the area of grant management: performance partnerships, Grants.gov., and extensive waiver authority. The report explores the potential of each to mitigate some of the challenges facing grants management and design. The report concludes with a series of recommendations to improve federal grants management. Financial Management

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.

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.

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.

This report provides timely advice to federal managers involved in the planning and implementation of pay-for-performance systems. It examines arguments for and against pay for performance, reviews various approaches to pay for performance, and discusses the challenge of implementing such systems. It also provides a framework for developing and evaluating specific pay-for-performance policies and management practices.