Working with Culture

In their quest to improve government performance, managers must overcome a multitude of problems, from entrenched procedures and employee concerns to citizen complaints and political pressure for results. A key to fostering successful reform is a thorough understanding and management of a program′s culture. Drawing on a wealth of detailed examples from federal, state, and local agencies, Anne Khademian shows that cultural roots not only determine the way work is performed, but also dictate the ultimate success of reform efforts.

Anne M. Khademian received a Ph.D. in political science from Washington University in St. Louis and was a research fellow at the Brookings Institution. She has taught political science and public affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and was a visiting associate professor at the University of Michigan. In 2001 she was a visiting senior fellow with the Fox Leadership Program at the University of Pennsylvania. Today she is an independent author and researcher. Her books include The SEC and Capital Market Regulation: The Politics of Expertise (1992) and Checking on Banks: Autonomy and Accountability in Three Federal Agencies (1996).