PricewaterhouseCoopers Endowment for The Business of Government Report Explores the Dynamic Role and Future of Federal Entrepreneurial Organizations.Business Editors ARLINGTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 29, 2000 Entrepreneurial organizations that operate much like for-profit businesses within federal agencies offer the government a promising way to adopt the techniques, technologies, and efficiencies of the private sector while still functioning within the public sector, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. a new research report funded by The PricewaterhouseCoopers Endowment A transfer, generally as a gift, of money or property to an institution for a particular purpose. The bestowal of money as a permanent fund, the income of which is to be used for the benefit of a charity, college, or other institution. for The Business of Government. "Entrepreneurial Government: Bureaucrats as Businesspeople," by Anne Laurent, associate editor of Government Executive magazine, examines 12 government businesses providing services ranging from payroll processing to timber measurement. The report outlines the hurdles these and other government entrepreneurial organizations must overcome, and identifies many common characteristics of successful government businesses. Additionally, the report illuminates the legal, regulatory, and cultural reforms in which entrepreneurship has flourished. The report considers some of the most powerful arguments against entrepreneurial government, and concludes that while many of these criticisms are valid, they are unlikely to halt the movement toward a more "business-permeable" government. "This report calls attention to the growing number of businesslike busi·ness·like adj. 1. Showing or having characteristics advantageous to or of use in business; methodical and systematic. 2. Purposeful; earnest. 3. enterprises that have emerged within the government and highlights entrepreneurs' creative responses to bringing about a change in government culture," said Paul Lawrence, co-chairman of the PricewaterhouseCoopers Endowment. "We hope that the lessons learned from these case studies of entrepreneurial activities will help future government entrepreneurs shape their own organizations." The federal government in recent years has become "a business incubator Business incubators are organizations that support the entrepreneurial process, helping to increase survival rates for innovative startup companies. Entrepreneurs with feasible projects are selected and admitted into the incubators, where they are offered a specialized menu of , nurturing a dazzling variety of small businesses within its own agencies," Ms. Laurent notes. During the 1990s, these government entrepreneurial organizations flourished, as greater numbers of "intrapreneurs" created business-like organizations within their agencies. The "government businesses" that they produced vary in size, shape and function, reflecting their varied parent organizations and the laws and regulations covering them. Entrepreneurs are not always welcome in federal agencies, in part because they threaten the status quo [Latin, The existing state of things at any given date.] Status quo ante bellum means the state of things before the war. The status quo to be preserved by a preliminary injunction is the last actual, peaceable, uncontested status which preceded the pending controversy. , according to the report. Yet the changes that these entrepreneurs bring to the government often spur agency innovations. For example, the report found that entrepreneurial organizations often rely on funds not directly controlled by Congress, freeing them to disagree with Verb 1. disagree with - not be very easily digestible; "Spicy food disagrees with some people" hurt - give trouble or pain to; "This exercise will hurt your back" legislative oversight
Oversight may refer to:
v. re·or·dered, re·or·der·ing, re·or·ders v.tr. 1. To order (the same goods) again. 2. To straighten out or put in order again. 3. To rearrange. v. priorities. These organizations also often demand better service and follow rules inventively in·ven·tive adj. 1. Of, relating to, or characterized by invention. 2. Adept or skillful at inventing; creative. in·ven , and market their services and compete in a way that forces other entities - inside and outside the government - to improve their offerings and prices at the risk of losing customers. "The convergence of the National Performance Review's calls for businesslike government; reformed acquisition practices, especially in information technology; and downsizing (1) Converting mainframe and mini-based systems to client/server LANs. (2) To reduce equipment and associated costs by switching to a less-expensive system. (jargon) downsizing and budget tightening have created an environment in which daring and innovative entrepreneurs feel, if not encouraged, at least enabled to creatively implement rules and take risks," the report notes. Copies of the research report are available on the Endowment's Web site, endowment.pwcglobal.com. Author Anne Laurent is available for interview. Contact Michael Cosgrove at (703) 322-5922 to arrange an interview. About the Author Anne Laurent is the associate editor of Government Executive, a national business magazine about the federal government. Ms. Laurent has served as the lead writer of "The Manager's Edge," an executive guide to cutting-edge management challenges. She also is project director of the Government Performance Project. Ms. Laurent recently has written several articles for Government Executive that relate to the topic of entrepreneurial government. These articles include, "Premium on Performance," "Let Contractors Take the Risks," "Revamping Reinvention," and "Management Magicians This is a list of magicians, illusionists, escapologists, and other practitioners of stage magic. For a list of witches, wizards, and other practitioners of paranormal magic, see: List of occultists. Magicians are listed by the most common name used in performance. ." She has been a speaker at numerous seminars, including Eastern Management Development Center: Seminar for New Managers, Executive Development Seminar, and Brooking Institutions Seminars: Emerging Issues in Public Management. Ms. Laurent is a graduate of the University of Michigan (body, education) University of Michigan - A large cosmopolitan university in the Midwest USA. Over 50000 students are enrolled at the University of Michigan's three campuses. The students come from 50 states and over 100 foreign countries. (B.A.) and The Johns Hopkins University Johns Hopkins University, mainly at Baltimore, Md. Johns Hopkins in 1867 had a group of his associates incorporated as the trustees of a university and a hospital, endowing each with $3.5 million. Daniel C. School of Advanced International Studies (M.A.). About The PricewaterhouseCoopers Endowment for The Business of Government Founded in 1998, the Endowment is one of the ways PricewaterhouseCoopers seeks to advance knowledge on how to improve public sector effectiveness. The Endowment focuses on the future of the operation and management of the public sector. Through grants for research, thought leadership forums, and the Senior Executive Service leadership program, the Endowment stimulates research and facilitates discussion on new approaches to improving the effectiveness of government at the federal, state, local, and international levels. All grants are competitive. For information on the PricewaterhouseCoopers Endowment and the Endowment's 1999-2000 grant awards, visit our Web site at endowment.pwcglobal.com. About PricewaterhouseCoopers The Management Consulting Noun 1. management consulting - a service industry that provides advice to those in charge of running a business service industry - an industry that provides services rather than tangible objects Services practice of PricewaterhouseCoopers helps clients maximize their business performance by integrating strategic change, process improvements and technology solutions. Through a worldwide network of skills and resources, consultants manage complex projects with global capabilities and local knowledge, from strategy through implementation. PricewaterhouseCoopers (www.pwcglobal.com) is the world's largest professional services (job) professional services - A department of a supplier providing consultancy and programming manpower for the supplier's products. organization. Drawing on the knowledge and skills of more than 150,000 people in 150 countries, we help our clients solve complex business problems and measurably meas·ur·a·ble adj. 1. Possible to be measured: measurable depths. 2. Of distinguished importance; significant: a measurable figure in literature. enhance their ability to build value, manage risk and improve performance in an Internet-enabled world. PricewaterhouseCoopers refers to the member firms of the worldwide PricewaterhouseCoopers organization. Note to Editors: The name PricewaterhouseCoopers is one word, with upper case P, upper case C, and all other letters in lower case. |
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