Acquisition

Can we radically improve service contract management?

Steve Kelman proposes an experiment to test ideas for improving service contracts.

People

The dynamics of taking blame in the workplace

A researcher shares with Steve Kelman some findings on what happens to people who take blame for problems in the workplace.

Digital Government

Break down walls for better management

Agencies could learn from hospitals' efforts to improve patient outcomes by improving coordination among medical services.

Digital Government

A Facebook scam that almost caught me

Columnist Steve Kelman comes close to falling for a Facebook scam.

People

5 top management priorities for 2011

Columnist Steve Kelman identifies the Obama administration's best options for improving the management of government programs and operations.

People

How political appointees undermine large IT programs -- and how to turn the tide

FCW columnist Steve Kelman proposes creating an awards program to recognize political appointees who maintain the momentum of existing programs.

People

Accountability, transparency and their unintended consequences

Organizations that emphasize accountability and transparency often find it difficult to improve performance, writes blogger Steve Kelman.

Digital Government

The Disney Store approach to cutting the federal deficit

A retail business based on agency logo merchandise could make a modest dent in the federal deficit, writes Steve Kelman.

People

Do program managers belong in program offices, or in IT shops?"

Should program managers--the professionals who are best-suited to provide a results-oriented, front-line perspective on the features of the system as it is developed and released--work with program offices, or in IT shops? Blogger Steve Kelman ponders the question.

Digital Government

Winning the immigration lottery -- literally

Blogger Steve Kelman is impressed with a U.S. immigration policy that draws qualified applicants from all over the world.

Acquisition

Technical knowledge and government IT professionals: An oxymoron?

Do government IT pros have the expertise to know a good technical idea when the see it? And, even more importantly, can they distinguish between suggestions that are self-serving from those that are in an agency's interest?

Acquisition

More debate about pre-RFP talks between government, industry

Blogger Steve Kelman responds to comments he received on a recent blog post about the sensitive nature of government-industry communications.

People

Improving federal IT acquisitions

Blogger Steve Kelman contends vendors should make experts available to provide comments or suggestions on technical or contracting strategy issues during the contract bidding process.

People

Workforce morale can be sapped by unskillled managers

A recent study shows that employees are often dissatisfied with supervisors who have technical rather than managerial chops, writes columnist Steve Kelman.

People

Sad about the situation of Muslims in the U.S.

Blogger Steve Kelman wonders why, when it comes to Muslims, some Americans have abandoned the commitment to religious tolerance.

People

Waving the public service banner at the Kennedy School

An event during the first week of classes illustrates why it can be a challenge to attract students to work for government, writes blogger Steve Kelman.

Digital Government

What's on Steve Kelman's bookshelf?

The professor of public management at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government shares his favorites.

Acquisition

GSA schedules: Are agencies paying too much?

Blogger Steve Kelman is looking to the procurement community for ideas on how to help agencies take full advantage of the General Services Administration's schedules.

Digital Government

How procurement can help tackle the federal deficit

Procurement officials see more opportunity to help the government deal with the ballooning federal deficit, writes columnist Steve Kelman.

Digital Government

Florida in the summer

Blogger Steve Kelman explores the cultural contours of South Florida, including its interesting architecture and strange traffic patterns.