John Kamensky

How the City of Hangzhou Assesses Agency Performance and Gathers Citizen Feedback

While the oversight of New York City’s performance system is run out of the Mayor’s office, in Hangzhou, an independent commission assesses agency performance and gathers extensive citizen feedback.  This is a leading-edge approach in China.  Most other Chinese cities operate more like New York City, with their performance management system and oversight being managed by a bureau within the city’s government, with more of a focus on compliance and less on problem-solving.

There’s been a decades-long movement in the U.S. to increase citizens’ involvement in government, and for government services to be more citizen-centric. As a result, we expect to see such initiatives in cities across the U.S., but what about in China? Interestingly, there is a real commitment in some cities in China to listen, and respond, to their citizens.

John Kamensky

In the IBM Center’s new book, Government For The Future:  Reflection and Vision for Tomorrow’ Leaders, we have identified six major trends that have driven government management reforms.  This is the second in a six-part series where we highlight each trend; part two summarizes the evolution of performance management in U.S.

John Kamensky

John Kamensky

John Kamensky

We are told that innovation is the process of improving or adapting a service, product, or system in order to deliver better results and create value.  It turns out that most innovations are the result of the curiosity of employees, not the creation of an innovation office staffed by specialized “innovators.”

Last year, The Economist wrote that “data is the new oil.” And in the government, this perspective is increasingly reflected in its priorities. For example, the current Administration has made the development and implementation of a Federal Data Strategy a key element in its management reform efforts in coming years.