Every generation gives its children advice about work. When I was growing up, the message was simple: get a qualification, work hard, and you’ll be safe. That formula doesn’t work anymore. Artificial intelligence has rewritten the rules. I’ve started telling my kids something very different — “pick a job that AI can’t easily do.” The rise of AI and jobs automation is no longer science fiction. It’s reshaping companies, rewriting job descriptions, and wiping out roles

Public finance management (PFM) sits at the core of effective governance. It determines how governments plan, allocate, and monitor resources — and how they deliver results for citizens. Yet, across many administrations, financial decisions are still based on partial or delayed information. As governments move towards digital transformation, the smarter use of data in public finance management has become essential. When properly collected and applied, data allows governmen

New Public Management (NPM) has dominated public sector reform for decades. Though stressed, challenged, and often criticised, it remains a prevailing model in many governments. Why does NPM continue to hold on, despite rising calls for more collaborative, networked, and trust-based forms of governance? This paper explores the reasons behind NPM’s persistence, examines the reform tools pushing for more horizontal and vertical collaboration in public sectors, and proposes

In today’s fast-moving world, organisations must adapt or risk falling behind. But change—even when necessary—can be messy, disruptive and resisted. That’s where change management frameworks come in. These structured approaches act as a roadmap, guiding leaders and teams through the stages of change: from recognising the need, to implementing solutions, to embedding new practices. In this article, we explore what makes a change management framework “best” for your context,

Key Principles for Change Management in Government: How to Lead Successful Public Sector Transformation

With increasing pressure on public organisations to deliver more for less, public sector mergers have emerged as a strategic tool to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance service delivery. Unlike private sector mergers driven by profit and shareholder value, public mergers must navigate complex political, legal and stakeholder environments. The ultimate goal? To serve the public better, more efficiently and more transparently. Whether you're in central government,

This article explores the key characteristics of Principles-Based Regulation, compares it to rules-based approaches, and examines its benefits, risks, and the critical success factors needed to make it work.

Procurement has long been seen as a back-office function, focused mainly on cost control and compliance. But today, both governments and businesses are rethinking procurement as a strategic driver of value, innovation, and resilience. The OECD’s Digital Transformation of Public Procurement Good Practice Report shows how governments can shift to smarter, more transparent systems. At the same time, leading private sector organisations are using data, automation, and new supp

Procurement is one of the largest areas of government spending, shaping how public funds are used and how services are delivered. Modernising procurement is no longer just about efficiency—it is about building trust, ensuring transparency, and driving public value. The OECD’s Digital Transformation of Public Procurement Good Practice Report highlights how governments can use digital tools to make procurement more efficient, resilient, and user-centred. Combined with modern

The OECD Digital Transformation of Public Procurement Good Practice Report is an essential guide for governments, agencies, and organisations aiming to modernise their procurement systems. Public procurement is not just about buying goods and services—it shapes how governments spend money, deliver services, and build trust with citizens. This OECD report provides good practices, case studies, and recommendations for countries and organisations at different stages of digita

In today’s world, governments face growing pressure to manage public money more effectively, provide accurate financial reports, and ensure resources are used in ways that benefit citizens. One of the most practical tools for meeting these demands is the Common Chart of Accounts (CCOA). A CCOA is more than just an accounting system—it is a way of organising financial information so that it can be used for better decision-making, clearer reporting, and stronger accountabili

The impact of AI on the Philippines call centre industry is one of the biggest shifts facing the country’s economy today. Since overtaking India in 2010 as the world’s leading call centre capital, the Philippines has relied heavily on its thriving business process outsourcing (BPO) sector. With 1.3 to 1.8 million people employed and contributing over US$30 billion a year, call centres have become a lifeline for Filipino workers and a cornerstone of national growth. However

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming industries across the world, but its impact on India’s services industry will be especially significant. For decades, India’s IT giants thrived on a business model built around scale, skilled human labour, and cost efficiency. Today, however, that model is under strain as automation and AI-driven platforms rapidly change how technology services are delivered. For India’s $263 billion IT services sector (FY25 estimate, excluding

Why Policy Development Matters More Than Ever Policy development is one of the most important processes in modern governance. It shapes how governments respond to social challenges, economic pressures, and environmental risks. In theory, policy development should be a well-structured, evidence-driven, and inclusive process that produces effective solutions. In practice, however, the reality often looks very different. Too often, policy development is reactive, rushed, a

A New Era of Innovation Leadership South Korea has transformed from a war-torn, resource-poor country into one of the most advanced and innovative economies in the world. Its global leadership in sectors like semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and consumer electronics is no accident. It's the result of strategic planning, targeted investment in research and development (R&D), and a growing ecosystem of startups and global collaborations. This article e

Building for the Future Starts with a Clear Plan Strong, sustainable infrastructure doesn't happen by accident. It starts with smart planning, reliable forecasting, and well-structured investment pathways. One of the most powerful tools governments and industries can use for this is the infrastructure pipeline. Infrastructure pipelines provide a long-term view of upcoming projects, helping governments, investors, and industry to plan ahead, allocate resources effectively,

The power of government hackathons Hackathons are not just for tech startups or Silicon Valley anymore. Around the world, governments are beginning to realise that hackathons can be powerful tools to solve public challenges, engage communities, and accelerate digital transformation. By bringing together developers, policy experts, citizens, and industry partners for short, focused bursts of creative work, governments can unlock smarter solutions, faster service delivery, a

Rethinking what drives national productivity When we talk about boosting a nation’s productivity, most people imagine millions of firms gradually becoming more efficient. But real-world data tells a different story. In fact, a small number of firms — national champions — are responsible for the majority of productivity gains. These are the businesses that find new ways to grow, scale, and shift value. Rather than inching forward, they take bold strides that reshape ent

As cities grow, mobility needs become increasingly complex. Transport planners are tasked with designing systems that reflect real-world behaviours—where, when, and how people move. Traditionally, this insight has been derived from costly and infrequent travel surveys or data collected via road sensors and ticketing systems. But a far richer, more continuous source of information already exists: the data generated by our mobile phones. Known as Mobile Phone Data (MPD),

Across many high-income countries, governments are struggling to modernise how they design and deliver policy, often constrained by legacy systems, fragmented data, and a lack of real-time insights. While elected leaders call for smarter, more efficient public services, the tools available to them frequently lag behind expectations. At the same time, mobile network operators have yet to fully explore the value of repurposing anonymised mobile phone data (MPD) to support evide