The Business of Government Magazine - The NEW Fall/Winter 2009 Edition

The Center is pleased to announce the publication of its Fall/Winter 2009 issue of The Business of Government magazine. This issue focuses on a range of public management issues facing us today. Whether it’s the federal government’s response to the recent financial crisis, the H1N1 flu, or its movement towards greater transparency and accountability, we’ve gathered thoughtful perspectives from some of the leading practitioners and academics in the field.

Conversations with Leaders -- We feature conversations with dedicated public servant leaders, from a wide variety of disciplines, who share their extended reflections on the work they do and the service they perform. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) spoke with us about the organization he has led for over 25 years and life-saving work it champions. Admiral Thad Allen, commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, tells us how he has successfully used social media tools such as his iCommandant blog and other Web 2.0 strategies to improve operations, collaborate, and connect effectively. Making connections has been central to Dr. Bob Childs’ efforts in building the Information Resources Management (IRM) College into what he calls a global hub for educating, informing, and connecting information age leaders.

Profiles in Leadership -- Over the last several months, we interviewed on The Business of Government Hour many government leaders who are changing the way government does business. Our profiles in leadership highlight government executives exploring such issues as the use of comparative effectiveness research in healthcare, DoD TRICARE’s emphasis on prevention and disease management, challenges leading a global supply chain, managing and reporting on the $700 billion Trouble Asset Recovery Program (TARP) and using Recovery Act funds to accelerate the largest environmental cleanup in the world. Check out profiles of:

• Carolyn M. Clancy, M.D., Director, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
• Rear Admiral Christine S. Hunter, Deputy Director, TRICARE Management Activity
• Jenni Main, Chief Financial Officer, Office of Financial Stability, U.S. Department of the Treasury
• John T. Morton, Assistant Secretary, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
• Vice Admiral Alan Thompson, Director, Defense Logistics Agency
• Inés R. Triay, Ph.D., Assistant Secretary for Environmental Management, U.S. Department of Energy

It is said that transparency promotes accountability. This theme has become a central focus of the current administration. Our Forum: Toward Greater Transparency and Accountability in Government explores the movement toward greater transparency and accountability in government. From a variety of perspectives, each article outlines how this movement will provide both opportunities and challenges to government executives.

And don't miss this issue's Viewpoints on security issues surrounding the recent presidential transition, leadership comparisons of the last three NASA Administrators, and ways to collaborate more effectively cross-boundaries using Web 2.0 technologies by authors Martha Kumar, Professor Harry Lambright, and John Kamensky, respectively.

With each edition, we try to fuse the practical with the reflective—bringing together insights from government executives leading major government programs and thought leaders studying ways to improve how government works. It’s about connecting research to practice. We do this in a variety of ways and this magazine plays a central role. Let us know what you think, contact me at michael.j.keegan@us.ibm.com. Look forward to hearing from you.