Faculty Publications

Crowd of Black Lives Matters demonstrators marching in the street.

Feature: The Democratic Necessity of Reckoning

Erica Chenoweth reviews scholarship that overwhelmingly shows the Black Lives Matter movement generated high levels of public awareness about systemic racism and increased support for criminal justice reform.

Electronic stock ticker board with numbers and arabic letters.

Feature: Against Rule-of-Thumb Economics

Dani Rodrik argues against neoliberalism’s universal rule-of-thumb approach and for economic analyses grounded in contextual dependencies.

Several hands of team members covering one another in a huddle above a work table.

Feature: Leaders’ Psychological Bravery

Dana Born explores what skills leaders need to cultivate psychological safety on their teams and across their organizations.

Dollars and Euros piled on top of one another.

Feature: Dollar vs. Euro as International Reserve Currencies

Jeffrey Frankel explores the strengths and weaknesses of using the Dollar and the Euro as international reserve currencies.

Harvard Kennedy School faculty disseminate their research in working publications and papers that contribute to public knowledge and fuel policy innovation. This list features recent faculty publications, including journal articles, books, edited volumes, research papers, and public testimony.

Faculty Publications

Overcoming Corruption and War -- Lessons from Ukraine's ProZorro Procurement System

Yukins, Christopher, and Steven Kelman. "Overcoming Corruption and War -- Lessons from Ukraine's ProZorro Procurement System." NCMA Contract Management Magazine. July 2022, 22-27.

Bureaucracies as Innovative Organizations

Kelman, Steven. "Bureaucracies as Innovative Organizations." HKS Faculty Research Working Paper Series RWP21-017, June 2021.

Singapore 50 years ago, and now: An Asian middle way?

Kelman, Steven. "Singapore 50 years ago, and now: An Asian middle way?" Straits Times, February 10, 2019.

Like a Fish in Water: An Essay on the Benefits of Government That Nobody Notices

Kelman, Steven. "Like a Fish in Water: An Essay on the Benefits of Government That Nobody Notices." August 2017.

“Tell It Like It Is”: Decision Making, Groupthink, and Decisiveness among U.S. Federal Subcabinet Executives

Kelman, Steven, Ronald Sanders, and Gayatri Pandit. "“Tell It Like It Is”: Decision Making, Groupthink, and Decisiveness among U.S. Federal Subcabinet Executives." Governance 29.3 (July 2016).

“I Won't Back Down?” Complexity and Courage in Government Executive Decision Making

Kelman, Steven, Ronald Sanders, and Gayatri Pandit. "“I Won't Back Down?” Complexity and Courage in Government Executive Decision Making." Public Administration Review 76.3 (May/June 2016): 465-471.

“Hard,” “Soft,” or “Tough Love” Management: What Promotes Successful Performance in a Cross-Organizational Collaboration?

Kelman, Steven, and Sounman Hong. "“Hard,” “Soft,” or “Tough Love” Management: What Promotes Successful Performance in a Cross-Organizational Collaboration?" International Public Management Journal 19.2 (2016): 141-170.

Management Matters (For Them): Is There a New Normal for Federal Subcabinet Leaders?

Kelman, Steven, Ron Sanders, Gayatri Pandit, and Sarah Taylor. "Management Matters (For Them): Is There a New Normal for Federal Subcabinet Leaders?" HKS Faculty Research Working Paper Series RWP14-044, September 2014.

“Tell It Like It Is": Groupthink, Decisiveness, and Decision-Making Among U.S. Federal Subcabinet Executives

Kelman, Steven, Ronald Sanders, Gayatri Pandit, and Sarah Taylor. "“Tell It Like It Is": Groupthink, Decisiveness, and Decision-Making Among U.S. Federal Subcabinet Executives." HKS Faculty Research Working Paper Series RWP14-039, August 2014.

“I Won’t Back Down?”: Complexity and Courage in U.S. Federal Executive Decision-Making

Kelman, Steven, Ronald Sanders, Gayatri Pandit, and Sarah Taylor. "“I Won’t Back Down?”: Complexity and Courage in U.S. Federal Executive Decision-Making." HKS Faculty Research Working Paper Series RWP14-040, August 2014.

“I Won’t Back Down?” Complexity and Courage in Federal Decision-Making

Kelman, Steven, Ronald Sanders, Gayatri Pandit, and Sarah Taylor. "“I Won’t Back Down?” Complexity and Courage in Federal Decision-Making." HKS Faculty Research Working Paper Series RWP13-044, October 2013.

This Could Be the Start of Something Big: Linking Early Managerial Choices with Subsequent Organizational Performance

Kelman, Steven, and Souman Hong. "This Could Be the Start of Something Big: Linking Early Managerial Choices with Subsequent Organizational Performance." HKS Faculty Research Working Paper Series RWP13-042, October 2013.

Productivity and the Placebo Effect

Kelman, Steven. "Productivity and the Placebo Effect." Federal Computer Week, October 10, 2012.

Innovation: Are Feds Afraid of Their Own Shadows?

Kelman, Steven. "Innovation: Are Feds Afraid of Their Own Shadows?" Federal Computer Week, April 18, 2012.

Tapping into Feds' Desire to Serve

Kelman, Steven. "Tapping into Feds' Desire to Serve." Federal Computer Week, April 5, 2012.

US Budget Breakthrough After Nov.?

Kelman, Steven. "US Budget Breakthrough After Nov.?" Business Times, March 16, 2012.

“Hard,” “Soft,” or “Tough Love”:
What Kinds of Organizational
Culture Promote Successful
Performance in Cross-Organizational Collaborations?

Kelman, Steven, and Sounman Hong. "“Hard,” “Soft,” or “Tough Love”: What Kinds of Organizational Culture Promote Successful Performance in Cross-Organizational Collaborations?" HKS Faculty Research Working Paper Series RWP12-005, February 2012.

Why Contests Are A Smart Procurement Tool

Kelman, Steven. "Why Contests Are A Smart Procurement Tool." Federal Computer Week, February 9, 2012.

The Best Approach to Management: Tough love

Kelman, Steven. "The Best Approach to Management: Tough love." Federal Computer Week, January 15, 2012.

How Agencies Can Cut Contracting Costs

Kelman, Steven. "How Agencies Can Cut Contracting Costs." Federal Computer Week, August 9, 2011.

Successfully Achieving
Ambitious Goals
in Government:
An Empirical Analysis

Kelman, Steven, and Jeff Meyers. "Successfully Achieving Ambitious Goals in Government: An Empirical Analysis." American Review of Public Administration 41.3 (March 2011): 235-262.

Are There Managerial Practices Associated with Service Delivery Collaboration Success?: Evidence from British Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships

Kelman, Steven, Sounman Hong, and Irwin Turbitt. "Are There Managerial Practices Associated with Service Delivery Collaboration Success?: Evidence from British Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships." HKS Faculty Research Working Paper Series RWP11-011, February 2011.

Can We Radically Improve Service Contract Management

Kelman, Steven. "Can We Radically Improve Service Contract Management." Federal Computer Week, January 26, 2011.

5 Top Management Priorities for 2011

Kelman, Steven. "5 Top Management Priorities for 2011." Federal Computer Week, Decemebr 8, 2010.

How Political Appointees Undermine Large IT Programs -- and How to Turn the Tide

Kelman, Steven. "How Political Appointees Undermine Large IT Programs -- and How to Turn the Tide." Federal Computer Week, October 21, 2010.

Workforce Morale Can Be Sapped by Unskilled Managers

Kelman, Steven. "Workforce Morale Can Be Sapped by Unskilled Managers." Federal Computer Week, September 9, 2010.

D.C. Locale Can Aid Agencies' Search for Young Talent

Kelman, Steven. "D.C. Locale Can Aid Agencies' Search for Young Talent." Federal Computer Week, July 8, 2010.

D.C. Locale Can Aid Agencies' Search for Young Talent

Kelman, Steven. "D.C. Locale Can Aid Agencies' Search for Young Talent." Federal Computer Week, July 7 2010.

The Way to Better Contracts

Kelman, Steven. "The Way to Better Contracts." Federal Computer Week. May 6, 2010.

Agencies Should Not Fear Talking to Contractors

Kelman, Steven. "Agencies Should Not Fear Talking to Contractors." Federal Computer Week. February 17, 2010.

Performance Data: 'Use It or Useless'

Kelman, Steven. "Performance Data: 'Use It or Useless'." Federal Computer Week. December 3, 2009.

Customer Service Tips from Developing Countries

Kelman, Steven. "Customer Service Tips from Developing Countries." Federal Computer Week. November 16, 2009.

Empirical Evidence can Help Inform Debate about Whether a Management Approach Will Improve Government

Kelman, Steven. "Empirical Evidence can Help Inform Debate about Whether a Management Approach Will Improve Government." Federal Computer Week. November 2, 2009.

Bring Back Share in Savings

Kelman, Steven. "Bring Back Share in Savings." Federal Computer Week. October 14, 2009.

Performance Improvement and Performance Dysfunction: An Empirical Examination of Distortionary Impacts of the Emergency Room Wait-Time Target in the English National Health Service

Kelman, Steven, and John N. Friedman. "Performance Improvement and Performance Dysfunction: An Empirical Examination of Distortionary Impacts of the Emergency Room Wait-Time Target in the English National Health Service." Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory 19.4 (October 2009): 917-947.

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