On behalf of the IBM Center for The Business of Government, we are pleased to present this report, "Reflections on 21st Century Government Management,” which contains essays by Donald F. Kettl and Steven Kelman.

In 2005, the IBM Center for The Business of Government began an ambitious four-year project. Our goal is straightforward: to begin thinking about the future of government and the trends and new ideas in government management that a new president should consider as he or she takes office in 2009.

The intent of this project is to stimulate new ideas among several key audiences. We wish to spark the imagination of government leaders to look beyond their day-to-day “urgencies” and reflect upon the important challenges the nation will face tomorrow.

We also seek to challenge the academic and nonprofit communities to begin looking ahead to future approaches in the management of government as they continue to analyze past successes and failures.

In 2005, we asked Donald Kettl (Stanley I. Sheerr Endowed Term Professor in the Social Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania) to give us his thoughts on these questions. In 2006, we asked Steven Kelman (Albert J. Weatherhead II and Richard W. Weatherhead Professor of Public Management at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government) to respond to the same set of questions. Both of their essays are presented in this volume. In preparing his paper, Professor Kelman had the benefit of reviewing Professor Kettl’s paper and reflecting on Kettl’s thoughts and ideas.

Each paper was presented at a Thought Leadership Forum at the Wye River Conference Centers in Queenstown, Maryland. Professor Kettl presented his paper at Wye in June 2005, while Professor Kelman presented his paper at Wye in June 2005, while Professor Kelman presented his at a second Wye River Forum in November 2006.

Participants at the Forum included many of the nation’s leading thinkers and practitioners on issues related to government management. Papers summarizing the insights developed at both Forums are available on the Center’s website at www.businessofgovernment.org/transition2008.

In addition, the Center staff developed a companion report on significant management trends based on the more than 160 reports the Center has published over the past eight years. That report, Six Trends Transforming Government, is also on the Center’s website. Look at it, as well, to see if these trends support or deviate from the insights offered in these essays.

Our objective in publishing these two outstanding essays is to stimulate a nationwide dialogue on the future of management in government.

In the “old days,” individuals could grumble about whether they agreed or disagreed with an author’s ideas. If highly motivated, they could write to an author and share their reactions and thoughts— but these thoughts remained solely with the author. Today, new technology allows us to engage a wide audience.

So we would like your thoughts on the two essays by Professors Kettl and Kelman. Did they get it right? Did they get it wrong? Did they leave out an important idea? What are your thoughts on the future of government?

Please go to www.businessofgovernment.org/transition2008 and join a virtual discussion on improving government management. We look forward to your participation in our ongoing conversation.

Albert Morales
Managing Partner
IBM Center for The Business of Government
Mark A. Abramson
Executive Director
IBM Center for The Business of Government

Download Reflections on 21st Century Government Management

PDF format, 2.9MB, 76Pages.

Donald F. Kettl
Stanley I. Sheerr Endowed Term Professor
in the Social Sciences
Director, Fels Institute of Government
University of Pennsylvania
Steven Kelman
Albert J. Weatherhead II and Richard W.
Weatherhead Professor of Public Management
John F. Kennedy School of Government
Harvard University

2008 Presidential Transition Series
IBM Center for The Business of Government.

Table of Contents:

Foreword...............................................................................................4
The Next Government of the United States: Challenges
for Performance in the 21st Century
By Donald F. Kettl..................................................................................7
Executive Summary...............................................................................9
Shifting Boundaries.............................................................................10
Periodic Revolution......................................................................10
The Next Government of the United States: A Portrait.......................12
A Policy Agenda That Focuses More on Problems
Than on Structures.................................................................12
Political Accountability That Works More Through Results
Than on Processes..................................................................12
Public Administration That Functions More Organically
Than Rigidly...........................................................................13
Political Leadership That Works More by Leveraging Action
Than Simply by Making Decisions..........................................14
Citizenship That Works More Through Engagement
Than Remoteness...................................................................15
The Government of the Future: Dr. Julie Gerberding
at the CDC..........................................................................................16
A nthrax.........................................................................................16
SARS ............................................................................................18
CDC as a Learning Organization..................................................18
Creating the Government of the Future..............................................22
T he Imperative for Knowledge-Driven Organizations...................22
T he Increase in Non-Routine Problems........................................23
T he Growing Need for Non-Hierarchical Solutions......................24
Conclusion..........................................................................................28
Endnotes to Kettl Essay.......................................................................29
About Donald F. Kettl.........................................................................31
Contact Information for Kettl.............................................................32

The Transformation of Government in the Decade Ahead
By Steven Kelman................................................................................33
Introduction........................................................................................34
The Challenge: Focusing on Performance in the First Place................36
Performance Orientation for Government:
The Battle Within Academia...................................................37
What Might the Next Decade’s Trends Be
(If We Get to Focus on Performance)?................................................40
Performance Measurement and Management...............................40
I mproved Contract Management..................................................43
I nterorganizational Collaboration ................................................45
Choice and Competition..............................................................48
E fficiency-Promoting Budget Reforms...........................................50
Endnotes to Kelman Essay...................................................................53
Bibliography for Kelman Essay............................................................56
About Steven Kelman..........................................................................62
Contact Information for Kelman.........................................................63

Visit Reflections on 21st Century Government Management Download Page

About the IBM Center for The Business of Government:

Through research stipends and events, the IBM Center for The Business of Government stimulates research and facilitates discussion of new approaches to improving the effectiveness of government at the federal, state, local, and international levels.

The Center is one of the ways that IBM seeks to advance knowledge on how to improve public sector effectiveness.
The IBM Center focuses on the future of the operation and management of the public sector.

About IBM Global Business Services:

With consultants and professional staff in more than 160 countries globally, IBM Global Business Services is the world’s largest consulting services organization. IBM Global Business Services provides clients with business process and industry expertise, a deep understanding of technology solutions that address specific industry issues, and the ability to design, build and run those solutions in a way that delivers bottom-line business value.

For more information visit www.ibm.com.

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