Managing technology for government.(from the editor)(Editorial)

Local governments are increasingly recognizing the need to harness the wealth of facts and figures under their purview, turn it into useful information, and then take action that improves services for all constituents. Choosing the right strategy and the right technology for implementing it requires careful scrutiny of management and workflow, and a willingness to make changes that will allow the organization to get the most out of its technological solutions. These endeavors require not only financial outlays, but also significant commitments in terms of staff time and effort. The resulting improvement in workflow, performance, and customer satisfaction, however, can be impressive.

In this issue of Government Finance Review, we provide direction for using the technological resources that are now available to manage data efficiently, complementing an organization's performance management strategies.

Mark A. Smith and Shayne C. Kavanagh extol the benefits of early action in The Potholes of Performance Management Technology. A New Road and Its Obstacles. Governments shouldn't wait to start improving access to the performance data they generate; quick action will help avoid the potholes in the road ahead and help everyone in the organization get better at what they do.

In Business Process Management. A New Way to Conduct Operations, Brenda Boyle explains how better processes lead to increased efficiency and ...