Podcasts about civil service reform

Led by the Trump administration and Elon Musk's DOGE, Americans are debating once again how our government should hire civil servants, but are we asking the right questions? In this episode, we dive into a compelling new study on the Pendleton Act, one of the most significant bureaucratic reforms in U.S. history, which introduced merit-based civil service exams to combat corruption and incompetence. But did it work?We speak with economist Santiago Perez about his paper “Civil Service Exams and Organizational Performance: Evidence From The Pendleton Act” and his surprising findings that while the reform did help hire more qualified and stable employees, it didn't clearly improve government efficiency. Also, what unintended consequences may have emerged, such as manipulation of salary thresholds and persistent power dynamics among political appointees.So, what can the Pendleton Act teach us about modern bureaucracy, accountability, and fairness? And could reintroducing merit-based exams actually fix today's polarized and politicized civil service—or make it even worse?

Season finale!  It is my great pleasure to welcome back a person I have very much enjoyed speaking with earlier— Dan Honig, an Associate Professor of Public Policy at University College London and Georgetown McCourt School of Public Policy (@rambletastic). His latest book is Mission Driven Bureaucrats: Empowering People To Help Government Do Better. Mission-driven bureaucrats, according to Dan, are individuals who work within the bureaucracy with a genuine desire to serve their organization's mission of helping citizens. They perform their jobs out of a strong belief in their purpose, rather than being driven by a set of rules or incentives that compel them to act in specific ways. But what are the historical roots of the term "mission," and how can mission-driven bureaucrats thrive? The book argues that the key to better government lies in empowerment and trust, rather than stricter controls and more rigorous oversight.  Key highlightsIntroduction – 00:24Mission driven bureaucrats – 04:04Managers like Ted Lasso – 18:21Managing for empowerment versus managing for compliance – 25:12Demotivated and unmotivated bureaucrats – 37:46Characteristics of efficient bureaucracies around the world – 35:06New public management and the centrality of citizens – 43:52 HostDan Banik (@danbanik @GlobalDevPod)Apple Spotify YouTube Subscribe:https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.comhttps://globaldevpod.substack.com/

In this episode, we welcome Academy Fellows, Kimberly Walton and Jeff Neal, to discuss their recent work on Federal Civil Service Reform. Topics include the challenges of performance management and hiring and ideas to modernize pay structures and staff structures. Links:View the No Time To Wait Report Parts 1 and 2View Proposals to Reform the Federal Civil ServiceSupport the Podcast Today at:donate@napawash.org or 202-347-3190Music Credits: Sea Breeze by Vlad Gluschenko | https://soundcloud.com/vgl9Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comCreative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licensehttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_

In this episode, Manish Sabharwal from TeamLease discusses the origins of the staffing company and the key traits that contributed to its success. He shares his memories of India Life and how it eventually led to the creation of TeamLease. Additionally, he talks about the differences in decision-making between the two companies and the advantages of being a second-time founder. Manish discusses the key areas that need attention for India's development. He emphasizes the need for civil service reform, as it plays a crucial role in regulatory reform and ease of doing business. The conversation also touches upon the significance of human capital for a country's growth. Manish cites India's achievements in software exports and the pharma industry as examples of successful utilization of human capital. However, he acknowledges the need for basic school education to ensure a strong foundation for the entire population. Manish discusses the concept of balancing short-term and long-term goals, drawing on the distinction between Amanat and Jagir from his Kashmiri upbringing. He explains that Amanat refers to a trusteeship, where one is expected to pass on something in better condition to the next generation, while Jagir represents personal ownership and consumption. Drawing on this analogy, Manish highlights the importance of expanding time horizons beyond immediate gains and optimizing for long-term growth, rather than focusing solely on short-term profits by emphasizing the achievements of companies like HDFC, Infosys, and TCS, which have built lasting value through decades of consistent growth and compounding. In this conversation with Karthik B. Reddy, Manish discusses why, for long-term growth, a company should adhere to certain principles. Firstly, it should differentiate between a "baby" company poised for growth and a "dwarf" company that remains small, based on a balance between short-term and long-term goals. Manish emphasizes the importance of the cap table and funding sources to secure perpetual capital for future aspirations. Additionally, he stresses the need for cognitive diversity within the team to incorporate different perspectives and skills. Lastly, Manish advises companies to avoid making detrimental decisions, such as diversification, excessive debt, or non-compliance and recommends having safeguards in place to prevent such mistakes. Check out the entire episode for lessons on building a long-lasting business.

Adam White and Jace Lington talk with James-Christian Blockwood about his recent Government Executive article on civil service reform. They discuss current proposals to make more civil servants removable at will as well as ways to build a nonpartisan, professional federal workforce that protects the interests of the American people.Show Notes: Let's Rethink the Management of our Civil Service, GovExec, April 28, 2023Partnership for Public Service, Website"You Report to Me” Gray Matters Podcast with David Bernhardt, May 10, 2023“Do Public Sector Unions Make Government Unaccountable?” Gray Matters Podcast with Philip K. Howard, January 24, 2023From Merit to Expertise and Back: The Evolution of the U.S. Civil Service System, Joseph Postell, Gray Center Working Paper, February 6, 2020Restoring Accountability to the Executive Branch, Philip K. Howard, Gray Center Working Paper, February 6, 2020Quick Actions to Improve Recruitment, Hiring, and Accountability in the Federal Workforce, Jeffrey Salmon, Gray Center Policy Brief, March 2021Civil Service: Pulling In or Pushing Away, Sally Katzen, Gray Center Policy Brief, August 2020Jimmy Carter and Civil Service Reform, Stuart E. Eizenstat, Gray Center Working Paper, May 22, 2019This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5816490/advertisement

It may not be likely to become law, but a new bill to reform federal civil service shows how deeply some members of congress feel about the issue. Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) just introduced a bill that would turn all federal employees, not just senior executives, into employees at-will. For one reaction, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke to Bob Tobias, a Professor of Management at American University in Washington, D.C. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A bill from Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) would make federal executive branch employees "at-will." You could be fired for any reason, short of a prohibited personnel practice. For one interpretation of what the bill could mean, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke to John Hatton of NARFE: the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Gilded Age had its fare share of political scandals, and the Star Route scandal ranks as one of its most important. It exposed the spoils system at a time when public debate about good government filled the headlines. Why has this scandal remained so obscure when compared to others like Credit Mobilier or the Whiskey Ring. Professor Shawn Peters joins the show to discuss his latest book When Bad Men Combine, the story of the star route scandal.Essential Reading:Shawn Francis Peters, When Bad Men Combine: The Star Route Scandal and the Twilight of Gilded Age Politics (2023).Recommended Reading:Winifred Gallagher, How the Post Office Created America (2016).Lewis L. Gould, The Republicans: A History of the Grand Old Party (2014).Adelbert Bower Sageser, The First Two Decades of the Pendleton Act: A Study of Civil Service Reform (1935).Thomas C. Reeves, Gentleman Boss: the Life of Chester Alan Arthur (1975). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michael Gove has unveiled a grandly-titled document called the “Declaration of Government Reform”. So what's it all about? There's a plan to move more than 20,000 civil servants out of London, but also plenty of detail on civil servants' pay, performance, and accountability. Will the reforms make a difference? We've pressed the emergency podcast alarm, and dialled up guest Gus O'Donnell, the former cabinet secretary, to work out what it all means, and whether any of it will work.With Alex Thomas, Cath Haddon, and Tim Durrant. Audio production by Candice McKenzie See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Here's today's Big Hard Fact: The IMF recommends a minimum Tax-To-GDP Ratio of 15% to fund development adequately. Nigeria's ratio in 2018 was 6.5%, according to OECD data. What Should Civil Service Reform Look Like? #NigeriainfoHF @SEzekwesili

Here's today's Big Hard Fact: In March 2021, the Kaduna State Government received N4.8Billion in Federal Allocation and spent N4.49Billion on wages. What Should Civil Service Reform Look Like? #NigeriainfoHF|@SEzekwesili

The investment climate hinges on legal certainty and service delivery, which in turn depends on merit-based incentives in the civil service.  Kevin and Jeff discuss reform momentum with Prof Eko Prasojo, chair of the National Independent Team on Bureaucratic Reform.  Also in this episode: a dramatic dismantling of the Negative Investment List (DNI); South Sulawesi's Gov in jeopardy; and Prabowo leads in a key new survey -- but Ganjar is in reach.Get a free trial of Reformasi Weekly Newsletter at:https://bit.ly/reformasifreeSupport us on buymeacoffee.com/reformasiSupport us on buymeacoffee.com/reformasi

The Institute for Government is delighted to welcome Sir John Kingman to share his thoughts on the need for reform in the Civil Service and how to do it. He is in conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government.Sir John Kingman has been the Chairman of UKRI (UK Research and Innovation) since 2016. He is a former Second Permanent Secretary at HM Treasury. He is also Chairman of Legal & General and Tesco Bank.#IfGcivilservice See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Sir John Kingman to share his thoughts on the need for reform in the civil service and how to do it. He was in conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. Sir John Kingman has been the Chairman of UKRI (UK Research and Innovation) since 2016. He is a former Second Permanent Secretary at HM Treasury. He is also Chairman of Legal & General and Tesco Bank.

H.R. McMaster in conversation with Tarō Kōno,  Minister of Regulatory Reform and Administrative Reform on Wednesday, October 28, 2020 at 9:00 AM PT.In our fourth episode of Battlegrounds, H.R. McMaster and Minister Kono discuss the evolution of the Japan-U.S. alliance and growing international cooperation to preserve peace in the Indo-Pacific region and counter threats to freedom and prosperity from the South China Seas to the Senkakus as well as in space and cyberspace.ABOUT THE SPEAKERSTarō Kōno is Minister of Regulatory Reform and Administrative Reform. photo KONO Taro, 57, is an eight-term Member of the House of Representatives. He has been Minister for Administrative Reform and Regulatory Reform in the Suga Government since September 16, 2020. Among positions he has held are Minister of Defense; Foreign Minister; Chairman of the National Public Safety Commission, or Minister in charge of the National Police Organization; Minister for Civil Service Reform; Minister in Charge of Consumer Affairs and Food Safety; and Minister in Charge of Disaster Management in the Abe Government, Parliamentary Secretary for Public Management and Senior Vice-Minister of Justice in the Koizumi Government, and Chairman of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives. Taro is a graduate of the School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University.H. R. McMaster is the Fouad and Michelle Ajami Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. He is also the Bernard and Susan Liautaud Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute and lecturer at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business. He was the 26th assistant to the president for National Security Affairs. Upon graduation from the United States Military Academy in 1984, McMaster served as a commissioned officer in the United States Army for thirty-four years before retiring as a Lieutenant General in June 2018.ABOUT THE SERIESBattlegrounds provides a needed forum with leaders from key countries to share their assessment of problem sets and opportunities that have implications for U.S. foreign policy and national security strategy. Each episode features H.R. McMaster in a one-on-one conversation with a senior foreign government leader to allow Americans and partners abroad to understand how the past produced the present and how we might work together to secure a peaceful and prosperous future. “Listening and learning from those who have deep knowledge of our most crucial challenges is the first step in crafting the policies we need to secure peace and prosperity for future generations.”For more information, visit: https://www.hoover.org/battlegrounds_perspectives Pick up a copy of "Battlegrounds: The Fight To Defend The Free World," by H.R. McMaster here - https://www.hoover.org/research/battlegrounds-fight-defend-free-world 

Jonathan Freedland takes the Long View of Civil Service reform. With the PM's Chief Advisor Dominic Cummings promising a ‘hard rain' on the Service, Jonathan follows the story of Charles Trevelyan, the ‘stormy reformer' of the 1850's, who reshaped the Civil Service and made many enemies along the way. Featuring Lord Butler, former head of the Civil Service and Dead Ringers star, Jon Culshaw. Historian Catherine Haddon from the Institute for Government and Sebastian Payne Whitehall journalist at the Financial Times. Producer Neil McCarthy

This is an audio recording of an IfG Live Event. Michael Gove has called for Government decision-makers to be spread across the country, from Mansfield to Middlesbrough to Merthyr Tydfil. He won't be the first to have tried to move policy makers out of London. So why have past efforts not worked as hoped? What can the Government do differently this time? And will shifting Civil Servants around the country really change decision making? Or is more radical devolution of power required? Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government, chairs a panel including:Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater ManchesterPhilip Rycroft, former Permanent Secretary in the Department for Exiting the EULesley-Ann Nash, former Senior Civil Servant at the Cabinet OfficePaul Swinney, Director of Policy and Research at the Centre for CitiesWe would like to thank Oracle for kindly sponsoring this event.#IfGcivilservice See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This is an audio recording of an IfG Live Event. Jonathan Slater, Permanent Secretary at the Department for Education and Head of the Policy Profession, talks to Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government.We would like to thank Oracle for kindly sponsoring this event.#IfGcivilservice See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This is an audio recording of an IfG Live Event. What makes this round of Civil Service reform different from efforts that have gone before? What's missing from the plans and where is this government getting it wrong? The Government's targets aren't new, so why do the same issues keep coming up? How do you actually get the Civil Service to change? And what can government learn from past rounds of Civil Service reform?Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government, welcomes our expert panel:Baroness Simone Finn, former Special Adviser, and Non-Executive Director at the Cabinet OfficeRavi Gurumurthy, Chief Executive of NestaJane Dudman, Public Leadership Editor for the GuardianDame Sue Owen, former Permanent Secretary at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and SportWe would like to thank Oracle for kindly sponsoring this event.#IfGcivilservice See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This is an audio recording of an IfG Live Event. How should the Civil Service measure performance – of individuals and of work programmes? What is the role of the Treasury and how can it get better at it? What data does should government be collecting and how can it best use it? Does the Civil Service need to get better at evaluation? Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government, welcomes our panel:Lord Macpherson, former Permanent Secretary at HM TreasuryAaron Maniam, Deputy Secretary, Industry and Information at the Ministry of Communications and Information, SingaporeProfessor Ngaire Woods, founding Dean of the Blavatnik School of GovernmentSimon Parker, Director of Strategy for the London Borough of Redbridge We would like to thank Oracle for kindly sponsoring this event.#IfGcivilservice See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This is an audio recording of an IfG Live Event. How can the Civil Service recruit, retain and reward the right people? What needs to change on pay and opportunities for promotion to reduce staff turnover? What skills and expertise do civil servants need? What type of quantitative skills should the Civil Service develop and where do they need to be deployed? What are the barriers to recruiting and retaining engineers, mathematicians and economists? How do different professions fit in? And what difference would an improvement in recruitment and retention make to the quality of policy advice?Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government, joins a panel including:Catherine Baxendale, author of How To Best Attract, Induct And Retain Talent Recruited Into The Senior Civil ServiceEdwina Dunn, CEO of Starcount and Commissioner at the Geospatial CommissionDr Louisa Nolan, Head of Data Science Projects at the Office for National StatisticsMatthew Trimming, Senior Adviser at PUBLICMax Tse, Executive Director at the National Audit OfficeWe would like to thank Oracle for kindly sponsoring this event.#IfGcivilservice See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What makes this round of civil service reform different from efforts that have gone before? What’s missing from the plans and where is this government getting it wrong? The government’s targets aren’t new – why do the same issues keep coming up? How do you actually get the civil service to change? What can government learn from past rounds of civil service reform? Panellists: Baroness Simone Finn, former Special Adviser, and Non-Executive Director at the Cabinet Office Ravi Gurumurthy, Chief Executive of Nesta Jane Dudman, Public Leadership Editor for the Guardian Dame Sue Owen, former Permanent Secretary at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Chaired by Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government.

Amar and Alex interview Shamik Das, a candidate for the committee of Open Labour. Trump, Boris's supposed New Deal, and CIVIL SERVICE REFORM also discussed. What a time to be alive.

The Cabinet Secretary Mark Sedwill has announced that he will be stepping down in September, though his resignation letter suggests that it wasn't necessarily his decision. This move comes as Michael Gove makes a wide-ranging speech on reform of the civil service. The government looks to be gearing up its Whitehall reform, and on the podcast, Cindy Yu talks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls about how these events are all linked. Click here (https://subscription.spectator.co.uk/?prom=A521B&pkgcode=03) to try 12 weeks of the Spectator for £12 and get a free £20 Amazon gift voucher.

So, what happened after Garfield was assassinated? HOW DOES IT END!? The story is pretty crazy with unlikely heroes and likely villains. We apologize for the dip in audio quality, we are adjusting to recording episodes remotely, thank you for sticking with us!

Major reform for the Civil Service was one of the new government's major priorities… and then the Coronavirus happened. What will bring about more change: the Government's own plans, or the unprecedented exigencies of this health emergency? Can any Civil Service really be ready for an event like this? The enormity of Corona aside, which innovations might help the Civil Service respond better in “normal” circumstances? And what could be the long-term consequences of reform for its structures and processes? Our Programme Director Alex Thomas welcomes a stellar panel to discuss the future of the Civil Service:Ben Gummer, former Minister for the Cabinet OfficeUna O'Brien, former Permanent Secretary at the Department of HealthSam Freedman, CEO, Education Partnerships Group and former senior policy adviser to then Secretary of State for Education, Michael GoveAudio production by Alex Rees See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Richard Lummis and I are back to continue our series of exploring leadership through the study of US Presidents. This episode begins a short series on Gilded Age Presidents, now largely forgotten. In this episode we take up Rutherford B. Hayes.  Some of the issues posed include: Some of the issues posed include: Hayes Educational and Professional Background The Disputed Election of 1876 and Compromise-(1)Election Commission; (2) Terms of the Compromise and (3) Was it necessary? Hayes’ Presidency-(1) Reconstruction ends-was it inevitable? (2) Civil Service Reform; (3) Cabinet Selections; (4) Port of New York and (5) the Post Office. Foreign Policy-(1) Paraguay War settlement; (2) Mexican border crisis and (3) Immigration issues. Great RR Strike of 1877, the Great Western Tour, his Indian Policy and Lemonade Lucy Hayes Leadership Issues-(1)“He serves his party best, who serves his country best.”; (2) Rutherford the Rover; (3) Use of veto and (4) Conflicts with Congress over Congressional v. Executive Power. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The President's Management Agenda has been out a year. The Trump administration said it sees progress here and there on the plan's 14 cross-agency priority goals. Margaret Weichert is the acting director of the Office of Personnel Management and deputy director for management at the Office of Management and Budget. She told Federal News Network's Nicole Ogrysko why modernizing the federal workforce is maybe the most difficult PMA challenge. Hear the discussion on Federal Drive with Tom Temin.

If you didn't think the president's 2020 budget request had many new proposals think again. The detailed version of the White House request is packed full of ideas to modernize the existing civil service system. Some proposals are familiar but many more are new, or at least have never been taken seriously as administrative and legislative priorities in a White House budget request. Federal News Network's Nicole Ogrysko joined Federal Drive with Tom Temin to break down the many ideas.

Federal executive after federal executive has taken to one rostrum or another to say the federal workforce has to be "re-skilled." But for that to happen, management needs to work with employee unions, according to Bob Tobias, a professor in the Key Executive Leadership Program at American University. He joined Federal Drive with Tom Temin for more discussion.

Forty years after the passage of the Civil Service Reform Act, think tanks and good government groups have offered plenty of ideas on how to update the federal personnel system once again — this time for the 21st century. But those ideas can't be implemented without the participation of the executive branch and federal labor unions, according to Bob Tobias, a professor in American University's Key Executive Leadership Programs. He talked with Federal News Radio's Jared Serbu about why that “three legged stool” is essential to any successful civil service reform. Hear more on Federal Drive with Tom Temin.

The 40th anniversary of the 1978 Civil Service Reform Act has a lot of good government groups talking about change. Many of these groups already agree with what needs to be done, but few things actually have changed since 1978. A panel of experts from the National Academy of Public Administration said there's a good reason why it and many others are still talking about hiring, firing and compensation: They've been focused on the wrong set of civil service problems. Federal News Radio's Nicole Ogrysko had more on Federal Drive with Tom Temin.

As I keep saying in Pakistan we have worked very hard to maintain the colonial system for our brown elite that has inherited it. Not surprisingly the main beneficiaries of this colonial system are the ones mort invested in preserving it—the civil service, the judiciary and the army. Civil Service Reform remains a big issue and we will continue to explore it with as many people as possible.  I would urge all young people to think about it, research it and write about it.  Here we take up the issue with Hasaan Khawar a young Pakistani who has been a civil servant and is now a consultant and a development practitioner.   We will have 3 conversations with him to try to keep the podcast shorter. Here is the third. 

As I keep saying in Pakistan we have worked very hard to maintain the colonial system for our brown elite that has inherited it. Not surprisingly the main beneficiaries of this colonial system are the ones mort invested in preserving it—the civil service, the judiciary and the army. Civil Service Reform remains a big issue and we will continue to explore it with as many people as possible.  I would urge all young people to think about it, research it and write about it.  Here we take up the issue with Hasaan Khawar a young Pakistani who has been a civil servant and is now a consultant and a development practitioner. We will have 3 conversations with him to try to keep the podcast shorter. Here is Number 2

As I keep saying in Pakistan we have worked very hard to maintain the colonial system for our brown elite that has inherited it. Not surprisingly the main beneficiaries of this colonial system are the ones mort invested in preserving it—the civil service, the judiciary and the army. Civil Service Reform remains a big issue and we will continue to explore it with as many people as possible.  I would urge all young people to think about it, research it and write about it.  Here we take up the issue with Hasaan Khawar a young Pakistani who has been a civil servant and is now a consultant and a development practitioner. We will have 3 conversations with him to try to keep the podcast shorter. Here is the first. 

Umer Gilani is a young lawyer who has been involved in litigation on behalf of engineers and professionals to end discrimination against them in contesting for senior government positions. In the current colonial system, all senior positions are reserved for the PAS/DMG, regardless of skill and training. Thus, Secretary WAPDA needs no specialized training, nor does Chairman FBR or any other leading positions.  All are reserved for PAS/DMG. In fact professionals including doctors have a short career horizon in government. They enter in grade 17 and mostly retire in grade 20.  Is this our government model for the challenges of 21stcentury? We discuss issues of civil service reform with Umer Gilani.  Listen to this very informative podcast.    

Federal News Radio reporters Nicole Ogrysko and Jory Heckman join host Mike Causey on this week's Your Turn to discuss the recent court ruling against the Trump administration’s crackdown against federal unions, and why there is a mini-exodus of scientists from the federal government. August 29, 2018

In the Gettysburg Address of 1863, President Abraham Lincoln stated that “government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.” However, many would argue that notion is not what it used to be. So, what’s happening? What can we do about it as believers? And where do we go from here? In this new series Politics for Believers, we get the answers from Natalia Castro, a political writer, cabinet member with Future Female Leaders, a speaking coach, and one of the most respected voices for conservative women. 

The Trump administration has called it a "relic." But members of the Carter administration who helped make the Civil Service Reform Act a reality say the law is still a landmark. It took the administration seven months to draft, lobby and pass the Civil Service Reform Act back in 1978. That seems improbable today. Stuart Eizenstat was Carter's chief domestic policy adviser and played a role in drafting civil service reform. He told Federal News Radio's Nicole Ogrysko that civil service reform passed because President Carter himself made it a priority. Hear more on Federal Drive with Tom Temin.

The Trump administration's government reorganization plan includes a proposal that would essentially eliminate the Office of Personnel Management. This idea has raised a few eyebrows. Is there a way to make the civil service system more efficient without handing off OPM's responsibilities to, say, the Office of Management and Budget? For one view, Federal News Radio's Eric White spoke with Jeff Neal, senior vice president of ICF and former chief human capital officer for the Homeland Security Department, on Federal Drive with Tom Temin.

Longer probation, shorter appeal deadlines, arbitrary pay for performance, they've already hit some federal employees and might be headed your say. To my next guest, most of what's going on in civil service reform is wrongheaded. Debra D'Agostino, founding partner of the Federal Practice Group, joins Federal Drive with Tom Temin with more.

As I keep saying in Pakistan we have worked very hard to maintain the colonial system for our brown elite that has inherited it. Not surprisingly the main beneficiaries of this colonial system are the ones mort invested in preserving it—the civil service, the judiciary and the army. Civil Service Reform remains a big issue and we will continue to explore it with as many people as possible.  I would urge all young people to think about it, research it and write about it.  Here we take up the issue with Hasaan Khawar a young Pakistani who has been a civil servant and is now a consultant and a development practitioner.  We will have 3 conversations with him to try to keep the podcast shorter. Here is the second. 

The Sixth Annual Executive Branch Review Conference is scheduled for Tuesday, April 17 at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. and will examine the increase in federal regulatory activity and the legal and practical considerations of regulatory reform. This daylong conference will feature plenary panels, addresses, and breakout panels.Opening Remarks: Hon. Donald McGahn, White House CounselMr. Philip K. Howard, Senior Counsel, Covington & Burling LLP and Founder & Chair, Common GoodProf. Jennifer L. Mascott, Assistant Professor of Law, Antonin Scalia Law School, George Mason UniversityMs. Tammy D. McCutchen, Principal, Littler Mendelson PCMr. Bill Valdez, President, Senior Executives AssociationModerator: Hon. A. Raymond Randolph, U.S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit

In times of emergency, the public looks to government to keep them safe, making responding to crises an important role for government. Managing a crisis is a complex operation that requires co-ordination between multiple groups and organisations, including central government, local government and the voluntary sector. The Institute for Government and British Red Cross hosted panel discussion to consider these issues. In particular: How does government in the UK prepare for crises and learn from them? How can government work better with the voluntary sector both during and after a crisis? To discuss these issues, our panel included: Mike Adamson, Chief Executive Officer, British Red Cross Zina Etheridge, Chief Executive for the London Borough of Haringey and Former Executive Director for Civil Service Reform in the Cabinet Office Bruce Mann, Former Director of the Civil Contingencies Secretariat at the Cabinet Office The event was chaired by Daniel Thornton, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

Many say the thin red line between partisan politicians of both parties and the career civil service is the 9,100 members of the career Senior Executive Service. The SES came out of the Carter administration’s effort to revamp the civil service and make top executives more mobile — and responsive — to their political bosses. Some SES members belong to the Senior Executives Association which generally works closely with federal professional groups, unions and retiree organizations such as the National Active Retired and Federal Employees Association to protect federal benefits which have been under attack for more than a decade. That includes everything from pay freezes under Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump, to major cuts in the Federal Employee Retirement System. SEA president Bill Valdez is my guest on this episode of Your Turn, a radio show (Wednesday's at 10 a.m. EST) streaming on Federal News Radio or at 1500 AM in the D.C. area.

The Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act was a direct reaction to the assassination of President James Garfield, who was killed by Charles Guiteau because Guiteau believed he deserved a government appointment. The issue of civil service reform was a long simmering political issue, with the main ire being directed at the spoils system, which gave jobs to political donors. Despite the assasination of Garfield, a bill for civil service reform seemed unlikely to be signed by the new President, Chester A. Arthur. Arthur was a "Stalwart," one of the chief opponents in the Republican Party to reform, and a former Collector of the Port of New York, a job he got through the spoils system. Yet Arthur seemed to see the need for change, and passed the law initiated by Ohio Senator George Pendleton. After that, the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act would drastically change the way the American government worked.

Governance remains Pakistan’s biggest challenge as we have seen in many of our podcasts.  Recent news also confirms the importance of understanding and improving our governance.  I know I have often argued civil service is an important component of any governments reform that Pakistan might undertake. Saeed Shafqat is an important thinker in the area of civil service reform and governments. He has written many important research articles on the subject has been training civil servants for many decades. He also heads FC College University Center for Public Policy and Governance. We discuss the underpinnings of governance reform The need to change the culture of governance through deep seated reform of both politics and the civil service The need to reimagine governance and within it the kinds of supporting technical professional, administrative, judicial legal regulatory systems that are now needed We remain embedded in colonial systems that are too stretched to meet the needs of a much larger population, growing globalization and major technological challenges Listen to this and let us reinvigorate research and debate into change.  Listen to this fascinating discussion. There is much to learn and research here.  You can also look at my book “Looking Back: How Pakistan Became an Asian Tiger in 2050” now available in hard copy in Pakistan. Soft copy here.  http://www.libertybooks.com/index.php?route=product/search&search=Nadeem%20ul%20haque&category_id=0 Listen and learn and write some papers on this subject.  Don’t forget to cite Soch Bichar Please subscribe to Soch Bichar if you like it. Tell you friends about it. That is the only way to grow a public discussion. And we need a wider conversation on these important subjects.

Asim Khwaja is one of our bright young economists now a Professor in Harvard and engaged in some great research on Pakistan. Asim has for the last 8 years been involved with civil the revenue service in Pakistan conducting randomized control trials to see if incentive could be used in the context a wider civil service reform to produce a more performance oriented civil service. Here we discuss the results and methodology of his research that has appeared in the QJE and other good journals. We also discussed ho these results should be used in policy as well as how policy is made and the use of research in policy. We also discuss wider issues of civil service reform and governance in Pakistan. A great discussion on many levels and much to learn from. Listen to this and let us reinvigorate research and debate into change.  Listen to this fascinating discussion. There is much to learn and research here.  You can also look at my book “Looking Back: How Pakistan Became an Asian Tiger in 2050” now available in hard copy in Pakistan. Soft copy here. https://www.amazon.com/Looking-Back-Pakistan-Became-Asian-ebook/dp/B06X94135J/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1488133596&sr=1-1&keywords=nadeem+haque Listen and learn and write some papers on this subject.  Don’t forget to cite Soch Bichar Please subscribe to Soch Bichar if you like it. Tell you friends about it. That is the only way to grow a public discussion. And we need a wider conversation on these important subjects.