Author Archive
Workforce
‘Neutral competence,’ partisanship and efforts to overhaul the civil service
COMMENTARY | One scholar argues that a radical movement to shift powers to the president would be disastrous for the federal workforce.
Management
'Long, long overdue': An oral history of the Government Performance and Results Act
Thirty years ago this month, a landmark piece of legislation aimed to change the very culture of the federal government.
Workforce
What the United States can learn from Australia’s recent catastrophic failure to listen to career government experts
COMMENTARY | A hastily launched 2016 program to reduce overpayment of government benefits was plagued by “unfairness, probable illegality and cruelty,” an Australian commission later found.
Management
The People Behind the Federal Spending Cut Dilemmas
Before slashing federal jobs, lawmakers should think about the mission voters would like the government to perform.
Management
The Gathering Storm Threatening the Civil Service
Conservatives are gearing up for a big debate and attacks that could upend the civil service as we know it.
Management
The Federal Workplace Is Changing Rapidly, But Merit Principles Must Remain Untouched
The merit system should be at the core of any reforms agencies make to adapt to fast-changing workplace dynamics.
Management
How the Supreme Court’s West Virginia v. EPA Decision Will Upset the Administrative World
The ruling will likely sow confusion and gridlock, and shift the balance of power in an unintended way.
Featured eBooks
Management
It’s Time to Bridge the Divide Separating Policymakers and Researchers
President Biden’s management agenda provides the perfect opportunity for government officials and public policy researchers to help one another solve pressing problems.
Management
Why Biden’s Presidential Management Agenda Is a Big Deal
The sharply focused effort places a high priority on employee engagement.
Management
Three Pandemic Lessons for the Next Crisis
What we've learned from dealing with COVID-19 could improve the federal response in the future.
Management
The Failure of Government's Post-COVID Imagination
Twelve lessons to guide the future of work.
Management
The Battle for the Public Service Is Just Beginning
We are in the midst of a critical debate over the future of the federal workforce.
Management
Lessons From the Pandemic for Government Leaders at Every Level
COVID-19 laid bare both the shortcomings and virtues of federalism.
Management
Biden Needs a Strategy for Strengthening the Federal Workforce
Mending the public service isn’t just one more thing to do—it’s the way to do everything that needs to be done.
Featured eBooks
Management
6 Lessons From 2020 Federal Leaders Should Apply in the Months to Come
As the embers of the dumpster fire that was 2020 burn away, important lessons provide light for the way forward in 2021.
Management
Schedule F Order Relies on a Myth the Private Sector Fires More People Than the Government
The notion that companies remove employees for cause more readily than federal agencies is not supported by the data.
Management
Why Merit Matters
Governance isn’t a solo act and it won’t work well if we don’t trust the experts who are giving us advice.
Management
Trump’s Order Sets the Stage for Loyalty Tests for Thousands of Feds
The president’s executive order sweeps aside 140 years of federal policy promoting professional expertise.
Management
Resilience Is Local, But Feds Can Help
In strengthening government’s response to COVID-19, nothing matters unless it matters at the community level.
Management