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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

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.

“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.

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.

Successfully Executing Ambitious Strategies in Government: An Empirical Analysis

Kelman, Steven, and Jeff Myers. "Successfully Executing Ambitious Strategies in Government: An Empirical Analysis." HKS Faculty Research Working Papers RWP09-009, April 2009.

Achieving Contracting Goals and Recognizing Public Law Concerns: A Contracting Management Perspective

Kelman, Steven. "Achieving Contracting Goals and Recognizing Public Law Concerns: A Contracting Management Perspective." Government by Contract : Outsourcing and American Democracy. Ed. Jody Freeman and Martha Minow. Harvard University Press, 2009, 153-191.

Biases and Decision-Making

Kelman, Steven. "Biases and Decision-Making." Federal Computer Week. December 15, 2008.

The 'Kennedy School School' of Research on Innovation in Government

Kelman, Steven. "The 'Kennedy School School' of Research on Innovation in Government." Innovations in Government: Research, Recognition, and Replication. Ed. Sandford Borins. Brookings Press and Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation, 2008, 28-52.

The Impact of Pay Disparities

Kelman, Steven. "The Impact of Pay Disparities." Review of The Warping of Government Work, by John Donahue Federal Computer Week, July 28, 2008.

Procurement Issues in South Africa that Affect Growth and Development

Kelman, Steven. "Procurement Issues in South Africa that Affect Growth and Development." Center for International Development Working Paper 171, June 2008.

Beating Retail Prices

Kelman, Steven. "Beating Retail Prices." Federal Computer Week. April 28, 2008.

The Not-So-Obvious Lesson

Kelman, Steven. "The Not-So-Obvious Lesson." Federal Computer Week. April 14, 2008.

Keeping an Eye on the Prize

Kelman, Steven. "Keeping an Eye on the Prize." Federal Computer Week. March 3, 2008.

Learning from the Brits.

Kelman, Steven. "Learning from the Brits." Federal Computer Week (January 21, 2008).

Three Secrets to Productivity

Kelman, Steven. "Three Secrets to Productivity." Federal Computer Week. January 7, 2008.

Inconvenient Truths

Kelman, Steven. "Inconvenient Truths." Federal Computer Week. October 29, 2007.

The Art of Negotiation

Kelman, Steven. "The Art of Negotiation." Federal Computer Week. October 15, 2007.

The Hiring Season Is Here

Kelman, Steven. "The Hiring Season Is Here." Federal Computer Week. October 8, 2007.

Washington's Fear Industry

Kelman, Steven. "Washington's Fear Industry." Federal Computer Week. September 17, 2007.

Performance Improvement and Performance Dysfunction: An Empirical Examination of 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 Impacts of the Emergency Room Wait-Time Target in the English National Health Service." KSG Faculty Research Working Paper Series RWP07-034, August 2007.

Shocking the Culture

Kelman, Steven. "Shocking the Culture." Federal Computer Week. August 13, 2007.

History Matters: Revitalizing Past Performance Could Create a Better-Functioning Procurement System

Kelman, Steven. "History Matters: Revitalizing Past Performance Could Create a Better-Functioning Procurement System." Federal Computer Week. July 30, 2007.

Creating Value and Trust

Kelman, Steven. "Creating Value and Trust." Federal Computer Week. July 16, 2007.

Let the Data Talk

Kelman, Steven. "Let the Data Talk." Federal Computer Week. July 9, 2007.

Buying Commercial

Kelman, Steven. "Buying Commercial." Federal Computer Week. June 11, 2007.

It's All in the Requirements

Kelman, Steven. "It's All in the Requirements." Federal Computer Week. May 28, 2007.

Effort as Investment: Analyzing the Response to Incentives

Friedman, John N., and Steven Kelman. "Effort as Investment: Analyzing the Response to Incentives." KSG Faculty Research Working Paper Series RWP07-024, May 2007.

A Public Service Incentive

Kelman, Steven. "A Public Service Incentive." Federal Computer Week. May 21, 2007.

Focus on the Mission

Kelman, Steven. "Focus on the Mission." Federal Computer Week. April 30, 2007.

The IG Ideology.

Kelman, Steven. "The IG Ideology." Washington Post, April 4, 2007.

The Return of the Protest

Kelman, Steven. "The Return of the Protest." Federal Computer Week. April 2, 2007.

The Need for a New Way

Kelman, Steven. "The Need for a New Way." Federal Computer Week. March 12, 2007.

Can We Keep the Kids?

Kelman, Steven. "Can We Keep the Kids?" Federal Computer Week. February 26, 2007.

A Novel Idea: Read

Kelman, Steven. "A Novel Idea: Read." Federal Computer Week. February 12, 2007.

A Missed Opportunity

Kelman, Steven. "A Missed Opportunity." Federal Computer Week. January 22, 2007.

Better Oversight of Contractors.

Burman, Allan, and Steven Kelman. "Better Oversight of Contractors." Boston Globe, January 16, 2007.

Smart Negotiating

Kelman, Steven. "Smart Negotiating." Review of Negotiation Genius: How to Overcome Obstacles and Achieve Brilliant Results at the Bargaining Table and Beyond, by Deepak Malhotra and Max Bazerman. Federal Computer Week, December 3, 2007.