Publications

08 Jun 2011
News

George Yeo: A Matter of Degrees

Singapore government, for its part, thought that was a good move too, but felt that Yeo could best serve his country by earning a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from Harvard’s Kennedy School,... View Details

Keywords: Garry Emmons; Executive, Legislative, and Other General Government Support; Government

August 2024 (Revised October 2024)
Background Note

Brief Note on U.S. Political Parties and the Presidential Nominating Process (2024)

By: Robert F. White

This note gives a brief overview of the major U.S. political parties and how they nominate presidential candidates. View Details

Keywords: Government and Politics; Public Administration Industry; United States

August 2024
Background Note

Brief Note on the U.S. Presidential Electoral Process (2024)

By: Robert F. White

A note describing the history and mechanics of the United States' presidential election system, the electoral college. View Details

Keywords: Political Elections; Public Administration Industry; United States

May 2014
Teaching Note

Gunfire at Sea (multi-media case)

By: Michael Tushman

This short video illustrates the challenges of leading innovation and change. This classic case (one of the oldest in the HBS system) retains its timeliness. The case describes how Lt. Sims develops a new form of gunfire at sea—continuous aim gunfire. While 3,000% more... View Details

Keywords: Leading Change; National Security; Innovation Leadership; Public Administration Industry; United States

December 2012 (Revised January 2013)
Supplement

Jefferson County (E): Postscript

By: Daniel Bergstresser and Randolph B. Cohen

Jefferson County, Alabama, faces an EPA mandate requiring sewer system upgrades. How will they finance the upgrades? What consequences will follow? View Details

Keywords: Local Government; Political Process; Bankruptcy; Debt Management; Financial Planning; Urban Development; Infrastructure; Borrowing and Debt; Government and Politics; Public Administration Industry; Alabama

May 1991
Supplement

Bureau of Engraving and Printing, The: Determining the True Cost of Money (B)

By: Robert S. Kaplan

Keywords: Money; Cost; Public Administration Industry

Find at Harvard

April 2010
Article

Endowments, Fiscal Federalism, and the Cost of Capital for States: Evidence from Brazil, 1891-1930

By: Andre C. Martinez Fritscher and Aldo Musacchio

There is a large literature looking at the determinants of country risk (defined as the difference between the yield of a sovereign's bonds and the risk-free rate). In this paper, we contribute to the discussion by arguing that an important explanatory factor is the... View Details

Keywords: Bonds; Performance Capacity; Taxation; Revenue; Governance; Geographic Location; Trade; Price; Cost of Capital; Risk and Uncertainty; Public Administration Industry; Brazil

Find at Harvard

Read Now

June 2006
Case

Riding with the Blackhorse (A)

By: John R. Wells, Sean Hazlett and Niladri Mukhopadhyay

Colonel Moore reflects on his command of the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment and its preparation of the United States Army for 21st century adversaries. During his command, Colonel Moore had transformed the regiment from a unit focused on providing conventional... View Details

Keywords: Transformation; Competency and Skills; Training; Strategic Planning; Adaptation; Alignment; Public Administration Industry; United States

August 2004
Teaching Note

Innovation at the Treasury: Treasury Inflation-Protection Securities (TN) (A) and (B)

By: Kenneth A. Froot, Peter A. Hecht and Christopher E.J. Payton

Teaching Note to (9-204-112) and (9-204-113). View Details

Keywords: Public Administration Industry; United States

March 2004 (Revised April 2006)
Case

St. Louis: Inner-City Economic Development

By: Michael E. Porter, Anne S. Habiby and Joanne Lasala

Describes the history and challenges of the economically distressed inner city areas of St. Louis, a major U.S. metropolitan area. Profiles regional and inner city economics and describes a new effort by community leaders to develop and implement a strategy to... View Details

Keywords: Strategy; Leading Change; Urban Development; Problems and Challenges; Public Administration Industry; Saint Louis

April 2003
Case

Captain Crisis in the United States Army, The

From 1989 to 1999, the Army watched as captain attrition rose from a planned and acceptable 6.7% to a staggering 10.6%. At the beginning of a new century, the Army leadership is concerned that current and projected staffing levels for junior officers are insufficient... View Details

Keywords: Human Capital; Retention; Government and Politics; Public Administration Industry

Find at Harvard

November 2000 (Revised May 2001)
Case

State of South Carolina, The

By: Randolph B. Cohen

This case presents the managerial dilemma faced by the treasurer of South Carolina in 1998. Until last year, the South Carolina state pension fund (with over $17 billion in assets) was barred by the state constitution from investing in equities. After the constitution... View Details

Keywords: Risk and Uncertainty; Capital Markets; Investment Return; Public Administration Industry; South Carolina

November 1999
Teaching Note

NYPD New TN

By: Clayton M. Christensen and Tara Donovan

Teaching Note for (9-396-293). View Details

Keywords: Public Administration Industry

February 1975 (Revised December 1991)
Case

Elizabeth Best (B)

By: Wickham Skinner and Ardis Burst

Describes what a new political appointee with years of volunteer experience did in office. View Details

Keywords: Government and Politics; Organizational Structure; Management Skills; Public Administration Industry

September 1989 (Revised January 1991)
Case

Massachusetts Lottery

By: John A. Quelch

Describes the role of state lotteries, lottery marketing, and the operation of the Massachusetts State Lottery, including reference to Massachusetts lottery advertising. Highlights the success of state lotteries while also noting growing criticism, particularly of... View Details

Keywords: Ethics; Marketing; Advertising; Government and Politics; Public Administration Industry; Massachusetts

October 1993
Case

United Way of America: Governance in the Nonprofit Sector (A), The United Way

By: Jay W. Lorsch

Discusses the management practices of William Aramony at the United Way of America (UWA). First, the case describes the United Way movement, focusing on both the local chapters and the national organization. Second, it sets forth the Washington Post reports that lead... View Details

Keywords: Corporate Governance; Nonprofit Organizations; Management Practices and Processes; Managerial Roles; Management Teams; Crisis Management; Public Administration Industry; United States

February 1990 (Revised July 1990)
Case

Internal Revenue Service: Automated Collection System

By: Nitin Nohria

Describes how the IRS's collection operations changed from a largely manual system (COF) to an automated system (ACS). A central aspect of ACS was the electronic scheduling and maintaining of work. While with ACS the IRS accomplished significant improvements in the... View Details

Keywords: Sovereign Finance; Revenue; Information Technology; Taxation; Change Management; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Organizational Design; Human Resources; Public Administration Industry; United States