Wednesday, June 8, 2011

The Future of Government


The Future of Government
Governments around the world are faced with new demands, new expectations and a fast-growing array of new technologies and tools. A current example is the Middle East, where a youth revolution built on the global technology revolution is demanding immediate reform. The challenges faced by governments increasingly span national borders and require resources and expertise to be mobilized on a scale that far exceeds those of governments.
To be efficient and effective in today’s complex, interlinked and fast-changing environment, governments need to redesign their structures and processes to capitalize on a new set of actors and tools.In this context, the Forum is pleased to present The Future of Government: Lessons Learned from around the World, a report elaborated by the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on the Future of Government. The Council consists of 15 of the most innovative experts and leading practitioners from some of the most advanced governments and international organizations.


The 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. It includes a series of policy briefs, which distils some of the most current and vital information for government modernization available, and concludes with case studies from around the world.
Governments 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.

The Future of Government - Lessons Learned from around the World