agile & government: oxymoron?
at 12:10pm on Wednesday, 3rd October 2007
Simon Parker and I have published a provocation paper with the State Services Authority in Victoria, Australia, exploring the concept of
agility and what it might mean for government. http://www.demos.co.uk/publications/agilegovernmentaprovocationpaper
In it, we examine characteristics of agile organisations and how these characteristics relate to the public sector environment.
The increasing uncertainty of the future means that the public sector cannot predict many of the challenges that it will confont. Becoming more "agile" is a response to these challenges: But the term is often used interchangeably with near synonms such as "flexible firm", "dynamic organisation" - even "adaptive state". Agility - particularly in government - is slighty different as it requires changes in how government meets changing citizen needs, and in shaping what those needs are in the first place. This combination of effective shaping, adaptation and execution is the goal of much organisational theory, and it is likely to need changes to both "software" (cultural norms) and "hardware" (structural arrangements). We've suggested that agile government bodies should strive for the following attributes: outward-oriented culture; systems and policy alignment; workforce adaptability; fast and effective decision-making; and successful use of information. Very few organisations seem able to do it, and government has some unique advantages and challenges.
The paper is a work in progress - please take a look. There are some questions at the end of the paper and please do feed in!
agility and what it might mean for government. http://www.demos.co.uk/publications/agilegovernmentaprovocationpaper
In it, we examine characteristics of agile organisations and how these characteristics relate to the public sector environment.
The increasing uncertainty of the future means that the public sector cannot predict many of the challenges that it will confont. Becoming more "agile" is a response to these challenges: But the term is often used interchangeably with near synonms such as "flexible firm", "dynamic organisation" - even "adaptive state". Agility - particularly in government - is slighty different as it requires changes in how government meets changing citizen needs, and in shaping what those needs are in the first place. This combination of effective shaping, adaptation and execution is the goal of much organisational theory, and it is likely to need changes to both "software" (cultural norms) and "hardware" (structural arrangements). We've suggested that agile government bodies should strive for the following attributes: outward-oriented culture; systems and policy alignment; workforce adaptability; fast and effective decision-making; and successful use of information. Very few organisations seem able to do it, and government has some unique advantages and challenges.
The paper is a work in progress - please take a look. There are some questions at the end of the paper and please do feed in!
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