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Governing in a Divided Society
Though the presence of divisions in our society is nothing new, the rancor and drama that is so evident today poses unique challenges to those in the business of administering…
Rating Pinellas County’s Strategic Plan
This series began with the statement; government is the solution, not the problem. To assert that government is the solution, its ability to solve rather than create problems, required exploration.…
A Participatory Health Care System: What Can We Learn from Brazil?
Public participation is easier said than done. Mobilizing a large group of people who share different values, ideas and backgrounds can be challenging and polarizing. This is particularly true for…
The Role of Culture in Public Administration Across Contexts
The study of comparative public administration started in the United States during the Cold War when many former colonies had achieved independence and began to create their own states. This…
After Smoke and Mirrors
Playwright Arthur Miller recalled, “An era can be said to end when its basic illusions are exhausted.” Management hopes rest in a positive institutional image. Avoiding negative attention is a…
The Case for Performance Management
After seven years of managing and implementing public sector performance management programs, I am constantly asked versions of the question, “If it isn’t broke, why fix it?” In other words,…
The Return of Apprentices
Local governments, as well as the private sector, are embracing a long-time business hiring practice – the apprenticeship. Throughout modern history, apprentices have been a key in developing workers and…
What Could Have Been — and Still Can Be
At some point in our leadership career, perhaps just prior to retirement, or leaving a specific position in mid-career, we wonder, what if and reflect on what could have been.…
Examining the Impact of the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act
To address the growing level of childhood health issues in the United States (U.S.), healthy school meal programs have been a strategy to improve obesity and fitness measures. To illustrate,…
Good Times Bad Times: America’s Modern Gas Curse
Natural gas, as America’s bridge fuel to alternative energies, provides well-paying jobs, enhances energy consumption, yields immediate government revenues and fosters energy independence. Yet, while many reports and data evidence…
When Organizations Act, Engagement Improves
My organization recently completed the second employee engagement survey for one of our clients--a local government agency in the U.S. We did the initial survey in 2017 and a follow-up…
May 7, 2018No CommentRead More