Government Executive November 2003 Vol. 35, No.16

Colin Powell won his campaign to transform management at the State Department. Does it matter? The Defense Department's plan to take a wrecking ball to its civilian personnel structure could spell the end of the civil service system. Dan Guttman has devoted his life to investigating the government's "shadow workforce" of contractors. Attempts to weave four cultures together at the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement are hampered by employee resentment and mission confusion. start departments It's just a matter of time before the federal government issues rules and laws mandating security standards for critical infrastructure, most of which is privately owned. Supercomputers being tapped to simulate nuclear explosions and predict weather also hold potential for use in homeland security. Prying concessions from Oracle; it's who you know; SoBig's suicide. More than 600 federal travelers talk back in our survey-most say trips too often spill over into personal time. - start COLUMNS =