The Future of Government - RecommendationsThe report provides a summary of the discussions that have taken place within the framework of Forum activities on how the strategies, structures and practices of governments must change in the coming years, and how new networks and technologies can be leveraged to transform government capacity.World Economic ForumWEF_de0af670-955b-11e0-9cc9-b0287a64ea2aGlobal Agenda Council on the Future of GovernmentThe Council consists of 15 of the most innovative experts and leading practitioners from some of the most advanced governments
and international organizations.Carina LarsfältenDirector, World Economic Forum, Forum Lead, Global Agenda Council on the Future of GovernmentJane FountainChair, Global Agenda Council on the Future of Government, Professor of Political Science and Public Policy, University of Massachusetts Amherst, and Director, National Center for Digital Government, USAGuido BertucciMember, Global Agenda Council on the Future of Government,
Executive Director, Governance Solutions International, USAGregory G. CurtinMember, Global Agenda Council on the Future of Government,
Founder, Civic Resource Group, and Senior Fellow, Bedrosian Center on Governance and Public Enterprise, University of Southern California, USAYuri E. HohlovMember, Global Agenda Council on the Future of Government,
Chair, Board of Directors, Institute of the Information Society, Russian FederationKatju HolkeriMember, Global Agenda Council on the Future of Government,
Head, Governance Policy Unit, Ministry of Finance, Finland, and Chair, OECD Public Governance CommitteeYasar JarrarMember, Global Agenda Council on the Future of Government,
Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers, United Arab EmiratesJames KangMember, Global Agenda Council on the Future of Government,
Assistant Chief Executive, Government Chief Information Office, Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore, SingaporeBruno LanvinMember, Global Agenda Council on the Future of Government,
Executive Director, eLab, INSEAD, FranceBeth Simone NoveckMember, Global Agenda Council on the Future of Government,
Director, White House Open Government Initiative, USAToshio ObiMember, Global Agenda Council on the Future of Government,
Director, Waseda University, Japan, and Director, APEC e-government Research CentreHaiyan QianMember, Global Agenda Council on the Future of Government,
Director, Division for Public Administration and Development Management, United Nations Public Administration Network
(UNPAN), New YorkOhood RoumiMember, Global Agenda Council on the Future of Government,
Director-General, Office of the Prime Minister, United Arab Emirates
Larry StoneMember, Global Agenda Council on the Future of Government,
Group President, Public and Government Affairs, British Telecom, United Kingdom
Aleem WaljiMember, Global Agenda Council on the Future of Government,
Practice Manager, Innovation, World Bank Institute, Washington DCRabab FayadAssociate Director, Government Engagement and International Organizations, World Economic ForumBrimbelle GrandcolasCouncil Manager, Global Agenda Council on the Future of Government, World Economic ForumTareq BouchuiguirResearch Analyst, Global Agenda Council on the Future of Government, World Economic ForumGovernments of the future will need to adapt and continuously evolve to create value. They need to stay relevant by being
responsive to rapidly changing conditions and citizens’ expectations, and build capacity to operate effectively in complex,
interdependent networks of organizations and systems across the public, private and non-profit sectors to co-produce
public value. As recommended in this report, what is needed today is flatter, agile, streamlined and tech-enabled (FAST)
government._de0af94a-955b-11e0-9cc9-b0287a64ea2a[Set forth the] recommendations of the Global Agenda Council on the Future of Government._de0afc38-955b-11e0-9cc9-b0287a64ea2aCapacity BuildingBuild capacity to operate effectively in complex, interdependent networks of organizations and systems across the public, private and non-profit
sectors._de0afd50-955b-11e0-9cc9-b0287a64ea2a1GovernmentsThe future of government lies across networks that include government, business, NGOs and civil society at multiple
scales and levels, from global institutions to neighbourhood and tribal councils. Locating the most effective nexus
for particular activities and understanding how governance works in this new complex ecosystem are at the core
of the future of government. Powerful ideas such as government as a platform and open government emphasizing
transparency, collaboration and participation rely on a strong orientation towards networks, thus the Council gives
primary attention to this core concept.
The Council recommends that governments focus strongly on building capacity to operate effectively in
complex, interdependent networks of organizations and systems across the public, private and non-profit
sectors to co-produce public value._de0afe36-955b-11e0-9cc9-b0287a64ea2aBest and Worst PracticesGather and share best and worst practices in networked governance, transparency, collaboration, participation and efficient public service production and delivery._de0aff76-955b-11e0-9cc9-b0287a64ea2a2The effective sharing of best practices can speed innovation globally. Currently, best practices are gathered, but
efforts are fragmented across regions and managed by different organizations. Bringing these efforts together would
speed up the transmission of knowledge and capacity for innovation. The Council has focused on knowledge sharing:
what concrete, practical experiences exist in the implementation of networked governance, citizen engagement,
public-private partnerships to promote innovation and the co-production of public value? How can best practices
in networked governance be identified, shared and adapted worldwide? Several regional and global benchmarking
efforts exist, but attention to best practice for networked governance still lags.
The Council recommends that the best and worst practices in the emerging areas of networked
governance, transparency, collaboration, participation and efficient public service production and delivery
be gathered and shared globally to promote innovation._de0b005c-955b-11e0-9cc9-b0287a64ea2aCivil Service ModernizationModernize civil service to accelerate innovation in government._de0b0142-955b-11e0-9cc9-b0287a64ea2a3Government institutions are staffed by civil servants who are often the key implementers and policy experts for
emerging networked governance. Yet civil servants may be intractable points of resistance. Public-private partnership
and citizen engagement supplement but do not replace civil servants. Attracting and developing civil servants for
21st century networked governance will require cultural change, incentives, new professional education and training.
Increasingly, mid- and upper-level civil servants are networked with their counterparts in the private sector, civil society
and other governments globally. Governments are among the largest, most important organizations in the world and
require decision-makers and administrators of the highest calibre, equipped with the mindset and skills for innovation
and adaptation.
The Council recommends that governments modernize their civil service to accelerate innovation in
government. In addition, professional schools and public management and administration programmes
should be updated to educate and train civil servants for 21st century government by emphasizing the
skills and knowledge required for public management in an interdependent, technologically sophisticated
world._de0b0278-955b-11e0-9cc9-b0287a64ea2aPerformance MetricsDevelop measures to reflect and support networked governance, citizen engagement, innovation, agility and other dimensions of the future of government._de0b0386-955b-11e0-9cc9-b0287a64ea2a4Measures and indicators developed in the 1990s for e-government readiness and e-government do not sufficiently
reflect the new realities of networked governance, citizen engagement efforts or the explosion of new media in
governance. The Council recommends an effort to examine the currency and utility of the most frequently used
measures with a view to bringing them into alignment with current needs.
Several regional and global benchmarking efforts exist, but attention to best practice for networked governance
still lags. Without proper metrics, progress will not be measurable and resources will not be allocated optimally.
Governments increasingly rely on measures and indicators, often collected by international organizations, to identify
key dimensions for strategic attention and to benchmark progress relative to their counterparts.
The new dynamics of global competition, environmental challenges, financial reform and emerging global norms
regarding privacy, surveillance, cybersecurity and more require the development of measures and indicators that reflect
the realities of networked governance.
The Council recommends that measures be developed to reflect and support networked governance,
citizen engagement, innovation, agility and other dimensions of the future of government._de0b0494-955b-11e0-9cc9-b0287a64ea2a2011-06-12OwenAmburOwen.Ambur@verizon.net