Author Archive
Ideas
Getting better deals for the government
COMMENTARY | Steve Kelman explains that common sense has often had a tough time getting accepted in debates about procurement policy.
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Driving innovation from the middle
COMMENTARY | NASA's Jennifer Elkins is an example of how senior civil servants can affect change in large organizations.
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Remembering reinventing government 30 years later
Commentary | Steve Kelman remembers how Al Gore's Reinventing Government effort helped change federal procurement.
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Keep the focus in procurement on best value products and services for the government
Commentary | Steve Kelman argues that the current cornerstone of Part 1 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation is the right one for taxpayers and agencies.
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From Shanghai to a Senate-confirmed government post
COMMENTARY | Steve Kelman presents the story of another fed who’s been around for years since leaving the Kennedy School.
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Great job, US Embassy in Beijing
COMMENTARY | Steve Kelman cheers an Independence Day message that touted American-style freedom to a Chinese language audience.
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We like to think we are best at digital, but maybe not
COMMENTARY: Steve Kelman thinks the United States could learn a few things about technology-enhanced infrastructure from Europe and China.
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The long-time civil servant on the front lines of the default battle
Dave Lebryk is not widely known to the public but the Treasury official occupies a critical spot when it comes to measuring the daily cash position of the federal government.
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From Harvard to Ukraine
Steve Kelman catches up with a former student whose work has taken him to the front lines of U.S. efforts to curb nuclear proliferation.
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Is the Biden administration's management agenda getting back on track?
On the federal contracting front, reforms seem to be working better in practice than in theory.
Featured eBooks
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Why formal government communications work better than informal ones
A study looks at how expectations of government style influence how citizens respond to messaging.
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Dissenting from our toxic political culture
Steve Kelman says it's important in this highly partisan era to find points of disagreement with one's own party.
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Remembering Professor Carter
Steve Kelman reflects on the former defense secretary's life in government and academia.
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Measuring for management
Steve Kelman is impressed with how today's senior federal civilian and military managers approach performance data.
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Lessons from Taiwan's rise to dominate the computer chip industry
Steve Kelman notes that an assertive industrial policy can yield big wins for governments willing to invest and manage their investments.
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Let's not cancel TikTok
Steve Kelman argues that First Amendment rights come ahead of vaguely articulated national security concerns when it comes to the China-owned social media app.
Ideas