Stephen Goldsmith

Recent Articles

• Reading List on Transforming Government
• Jan 13, 2010
• I've put together a list of some of my favorite resources and reading materials for those interested in transforming government. Based in part on courses...

• Red-Ink Tsunami: Why Old Ideas Can't Fix the New Government Perma-Crisis
• Jan 13, 2010
• State and local governments have faced big budget gaps before. Typically, things get tight for a while, then the economy perks up, tax revenues recover,...

• Mindful Innovation
• Jan 6, 2010
• There is no magic formula for public sector innovation, but there are tools and techniques that can help governments find ways to do things better,...

• Welcome to 2010 -- Are You Ready?
• Jan 3, 2010
• In the good old days, economic slumps were followed by recoveries. To survive lean times, governments tightened their belts, maybe raised some taxes, and life...

• Taking Aim at Systemic Risk
• Dec 20, 2009
• We've seen what happens when risk isn't accounted for properly. The mortage meltdown has prompted government to address enterprise risk in a more systematic way....

• Crime, Punishment and Data
• Dec 16, 2009
• Just weeks ago, career criminal Maurice Clemmons walked into a Lakewood, Washington, coffee shop and gunned down four police officers. Although this particular crime could...

• How Paying a Price Can Cut Your Costs
• Dec 6, 2009
• In a market economy, prices communicate information, helping to shift resources to more efficient uses. Government can take advantage of this through a shared services...

• Dedicated to Transformation
• Dec 2, 2009
• Given the day-to-day demands of political leadership, it is hard to focus on innovation. In his article, John O'Leary highlights how the city of Detroit...

• Collaboration Isn't Easy
• Nov 23, 2009
• How can different levels of government and a variety of public agencies work together effectively? That's a challenge with implications for crime, health, and a...

• Contract Cancelled, but Outsourcing Wasn't the Problem
• Nov 18, 2009
• In my article below, I look at the recent decision by Indiana to cancel a major contract with IBM. The problem wasn't the shift from...

• The Hazards of Bold Reform
• Nov 18, 2009
• When Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels took office, he inherited a social services department that had distinguished itself only in bad ways. The state's Family and...

• Tackling Our Biggest Problems
• Nov 17, 2009
• William D. Eggers and our own John O'Leary have just come out with a new book looking at how government handles large undertakings. "If We...
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• Veterans Day--Better Ideas for Vets
• Nov 11, 2009
• Veterans Day provides an opportunity to consider ways to serve those who have served their country. Two newly announced federal initiatives can produce opportunities for...