Public Service
The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others. - Mahatma Gandhi
The use of technology by public entities has become an integral part of those entities fulfilling their public mission. Like other areas of society, the use of technology has permeated all aspects of public entities’ operations. Through the use of technology, public entities have been able to provide more equitable, effective, and efficient public services. However, the use of such technology has caused new privacy and security issues and risks that must be addressed by those public entities.
The work product example below analyzes the growing use of technology and the corresponding growing risks related to privacy and security. As part of this analysis, the paper explores what actions public entities can take to continue to embrace the advances offered by technology while maintaining the privacy and security of their citizens. The analysis concludes with recommendations for creating a comprehensive security program that addresses the complex and unique needs of public entities.
This work product example is a revised, updated version of an assignment completed for my Introduction to Public Administration class.
While the use of technology by public agencies has become ubiquitous, it has not had the transformative change envisioned. To a large extent, this is due to the primarily government-centric focus of the current uses of technology by government. With new technological initiatives such as the internet of things, open government, and big data, the possibility of the use of technology to achieve transformative change and greater citizen involvement in government administrative processes is again raised.
The work product example below examines the concepts of big data, open government, and the internet of things and explores whether these technological initiatives will transform the traditional bureaucratic hierarchy of government or, if instead, they will reinforce the bureaucracy.
This work product example is a revised version of an assignment completed for my Technology & Public Administration class.
One of the more challenging aspects of public administration is ensuring sufficient resources are available not only to meet the general operations of the public entity, but also to meet the long-term capital needs and investments. Increasingly, public agencies are turning to the use of public-private partnerships (P3) to obtain private sector financing for infrastructure projects such as courthouses, utilities and transportation projects. While the exact components of a P3 arrangement vary, in general they consist of a contractual arrangement between a private entity and a public entity to share in the risks and benefits of the delivery of a public service.
While more and more governments are utilizing a P3 arrangements, there are a variety of potential pitfalls to such arrangements. One common challenge to successfully using such arrangements is transparency and accountability. The work product example provided below is a discussion of the tools a public entity may employ in a P3 arrangement to help ensure greater transparency and, therefore, greater accountability.
This work product example is a revised, updated version of an assignment completed for my Capital Budgeting & Debt Management class.