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Public Sector Insights
Read McKinsey's latest insights on how governments can dramatically improve their capacity to deliver for people
Featured Insights
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Unlocking the potential of generative AI: Three key questions for government agencies
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Government organizations may seek to jump on the gen AI bandwagon, but the technology’s complexities could sideline their efforts. Our framework addresses some critical implementation questions.
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Government productivity: Practical methods to deliver more with less
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Governments can employ seven levers to improve productivity throughout their operations.
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Paving the way to resilience: Strengthening public sector adaptation planning and execution
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Increasing resilience to climate change requires a more systematic response than ever before. Governments and public entities play a central role in defining, enabling, and executing it.
Article
Better and faster: Organizational agility for the public sector
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Agile principles can help governments transform the way they work for the better.
Featured Collections
Collection
The US government’s productivity improvement opportunity
This series explores McKinsey’s finding of roughly $750 billion annually that could be saved while keeping US government services operating just as effectively. The approaches we address can be applied by government organizations worldwide.
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Reinvesting in America, December 2023
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Helping governments renew the sources of economic strength and deliver for their people.
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McKinsey on Public Finance, March 2023
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McKinsey on Public Finance brings together our perspectives across all aspects of public finance from our proprietary research, global experience, and insights from leaders around the world. You’ll find insights on new, innovative approaches along with some of our most popular articles over the last several years—timeless pieces that continue to resonate with global public finance leaders.
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Great expectations: How US government agencies can meet public demand for better service
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Digital self-service and better access to information top the list of what the public most wants to see from government. Our benchmark research indicates steps that agencies can take to deliver.
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Governments can deliver exceptional customer experiences—here’s how
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Our US State of the States benchmark provides insights for newly elected and second-term administrations on how to deliver better services, operate more effectively, and win back public trust.
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The call to rethink government customer experience
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The White House wants to make engaging with the government easier. How can agencies meet the challenge?
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Deploying generative AI in US state governments: Pilot, scale, adopt
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States could have much to gain from using generative AI tools in their operations. A low-risk strategy may be to test some applications while preparing a longer-term implementation plan.
Report
Generative AI and the future of work in Australia
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Advances in generative AI have accelerated Australia’s automation opportunity. If implemented well, these technologies could improve Australia’s productivity—and the quality of life of its people.
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The potential value of AI—and how governments could look to capture it
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Artificial intelligence could have a significant impact on individuals, businesses, and governments. Here is what countries need to know about the benefits—and the first steps toward realizing them.
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Unlocking the potential of public-sector IT projects
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Public-sector IT projects can leverage four drivers of performance improvement to maximize value.
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Paving the way to resilience: Strengthening public sector adaptation planning and execution
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Increasing resilience to climate change requires a more systematic response than ever before. Governments and public entities play a central role in defining, enabling, and executing it.
Article
Building innovation ecosystems: Accelerating tech hub growth
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Innovation ecosystems can generate economic, financial, and social benefits for all, and there’s new federal funding to build them. A six-step playbook could help leaders get them right.
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Are states ready to close the US digital divide?
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More than $100 billion in federal funding is being deployed to bring broadband to every American household as part of the largest public investment to connect Americans since the creation of the Interstate Highway System.
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US government productivity: The roles government plays
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Improving US government productivity is challenging. Measuring operational efficiency based on the role an organization plays can help identify specific improvement opportunities.
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Federal financial management: How governments can do more with the budgets they have
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Tools that enable more agile and transparent financial management can help government leaders tie resources directly to mission outcomes, boosting the impact of taxpayer funds.
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Unlocking the potential of public-service digitization
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Legislation governing public services can affect the potential for digitization. Digital-compatibility checks leveraging “rules as code” could help.
Article
Better and faster: Organizational agility for the public sector
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Agile principles can help governments transform the way they work for the better.
Article
Shaping tomorrow’s talent agenda for the public sector
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Vast demographic changes are transforming the world and profoundly affecting how the public sector manages talent. Six priorities can help leaders shape a robust talent framework for the future.
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Transforming public sector hiring with data-enabled talent ‘win rooms’
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These talent hubs can expedite and streamline government hiring processes—and they can also close critical labor gaps.
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Making government an even better place for women to work
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Women are better represented in the US public and social sectors than in corporations. But these sectors lag behind others in areas that could make it hard to recruit and retain tomorrow’s women leaders.
Report
Bridging the talent gap in state government postpandemic
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Facing critical staff shortages, state Chief Administrative Officers are moving forward with newly invigorated strategies for attracting and retaining workers.
Report - MGI Research
Geopolitics and the geometry of global trade
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Global trade patterns are reconfiguring. More shifts are likely and businesses need to be aware of the potential trade-offs of different paths ahead.
Article - MGI Research
Accelerating Europe: Competitiveness for a new era
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Turbulent times have highlighted new fragilities in Europe’s economies. Addressing them could be the catalyst for a new wave of competitiveness and growth.
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Future-proofing health systems for climate risks and pandemics
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Climate change and infectious-health risks are threatening health systems across the globe. High-impact investments that address these risks concurrently could also help build resilient health systems.
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Customer-centric transformation in government
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Public-sector organizations work best when they design from the perspective of the people they serve, use data well, and adapt quickly to capture productivity benefits.
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Transforming government in a new era
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How engaged public servants, enabled by technology, can deliver better outcomes in a time of disruption.
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Government transformations in times of extraordinary change: Key considerations for public-sector leaders
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An equal focus on performance and organizational health can help large-scale government overhauls succeed.
MORE INSIGHTS
Report - MGI Research
Investing in productivity growth
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It’s time to raise investment and catch the next productivity wave.