The Next BIG Thing: Business School and Government

It’s that time of year again! The next two days we’ll be blogging from GovLoop and YGL’s Next Generation of Government Training Summit. Follow along @NextGenGov and read more blog posts here.

Why can’t our government be more like Silicon Valley? With all the innovation and technological progress the private sector creates many of us wonder why government lags so far behind.

For-profit organizations operate with the singular goal of making profits. Public sector organizations have a different agenda that serves the public.

Sometimes it’s difficult to attract workers when all your organization has to offer is ‘rewarding your intrinsic motivations to make the world a better place.’

Brian Gunia, assistant professor at Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, is trying to help government organizations attain peak performance by integrating business practices.

Gunia and the Carey School provide a neutral territory for business and government to productively engage and learn from one another. The goal is to broaden the reach and generate new knowledge for both parties.

Here are four ways Gunia and the Carey School are implementing their Business in Government (BIG) initiative.

1: Develop a research-based understanding of the practices that do and don’t work in business

2: Determine which practices will and won’t translate to government

3: Conduct collaborative research to validate, provide feedback, and generate knowledge

4: Determine which knowledge will and won’t translate into business

Gunia says that the main concern agencies face today is leading their organization in the 21^st century. From utilizing new technology, filling the talent pipeline, managing a contractual workforce, and bridging divergent interests the future creates new challenges for government agencies.

By 2017, a third of the federal workforce will retire. But if your organization utilizes the BIG initiative then the future uncertainties can be viewed as future opportunities.

More information on NextGen

Today GovLoop and Young Government Leaders are hosting their annual Next Generation of Government Leaders Summit. Throughout the summit, be sure to check GovLoop and our social media sites to keep up with all the latest from the summit. We’re really excited about this year – and hope to share the experience with all of you.

If you’re unfamiliar with NextGen, the annual training summit educates, inspires and promotes innovation for new and rising leaders in government. Since 2010, the two-day summit has enhanced the professional and personal lives of 2,000+ Generation X and Y government employees, who are excited to learn new skills to innovate.