Reorganization
Three Critical Priorities In the President’s Reform Plan
Matt Erskine, Government Executive
As federal leaders navigate the challenging terrain ahead they should focus on these high return components.

Management
Smart Use of Incentives Would Support Government Reform
Howard Risher, Government Executive
There is extensive evidence that incentives—if they are well designed—produce better results. But there are many examples of poorly-designed incentives pushing people to act in ways detrimental to their organization.
Cautionary Tales from Past Attempts at Pay-for-Performance
Erich Wagner, Government Executive
Merit board warns of pitfalls in changing compensation structures.
Program Management Is Much More Complex Than Many Leaders Understand
John Kamensky, Government Executive
There isn’t a single optimal approach. Different types of programs demand different skill sets.
Employee empowerment and improved performance: The missing link
Steve Kelman, Federal Computer Week
It has long been assumed that empowering employees can boost an organization’s performance, but new research delivers data that supports this.

Analytics and Evaluation
EPA embracing data analytics from daily operations to chemical investigations
Amelia Brust, Federal News Radio
EPA’s Chief Data Scientist is hoping to create a decentralized data science team that will let different program offices know what data science can do for them.

Innovation
Why Proven Solutions Struggle to Scale Up
Kriss Deiglmeier and Amanda Greco, Stanford Social Innovation Review
Many social innovations fail because they are unable to bridge the “stagnation chasm.” Here is a look at the resources, ecosystems, and skills needed to overcome it.