Advancing Knowledge And The Knowledge Economy:

The Honorable David M. Walker: 
Comptroller General of the United States:

National Science Foundation's International Conference: 
National Academies: 
Washington, DC: 
January 11, 2005:

How Is Knowledge Defined?

Webster defines knowledge as:

"(1) the fact or condition of knowing something with familiarity gained 
through experience or association, 

(2) acquaintance with or understanding of a science, art, or technique, 

(3) the sum of what is known: the body of truth, information, and 
principles acquired by mankind."

GAO is in the knowledge business, converting assertions and information 
into facts and knowledge. 

GAO's Strategic Plan:

[See PDF for image] - graphic text:

Serving the Congress and the Nation: GAO's Strategic Plan Framework:

Mission:

GAO exists to support the Congress in meeting its constitutional 
responsibilities and to help improve the performance and ensure the 
accountability of the federal government for the benefit of the 
American people.

Themes:

* Long-term Fiscal Imbalance; 
* National Security; 
* Global interdependence; 
* Changing Economy; 
* Demographics; 
* Science and Technology; 
* Quality of Life; 
* Governance; 

Goals and Objectives:

Provide Timely, Quality Service to the Congress and the Federal 
Government to Address Current and Emerging Challenges to the 
Well-Being and Financial Security of the American People related
to:

* Health care needs and financing; 
* Education and protection of children; 
* Work opportunities and worker protection; 
* Retirement income security; 
* Effective system of justice; 
* Viable communities; 
* Natural resources use and environmental protection; 
* Physical infrastructure; 

Respond to Changing Security Threats and the Challenges of Global 
Interdependence involving:

* Emerging threats; 
* Military capabilities and readiness; 
* Advancement of U.S. interests; 
* Global market forces; 

Help Transform the Federal Government's Role and How It Does 
Business to Meet 21st Century Challenges by assessing:

* Roles in achieving federal objectives; 
* Government transformation; 
* Key management challenges and program risks; 
* Fiscal position and financing of the government; 

Maximize the Value of GAO by Being a Model Federal Agency and a 
World-Class Professional Services Organization in the areas of:

* Client and customer service; 
* Strategic leadership; 
* Institutional knowledge and experience; 
* Process improvement; 
* Employer of choice; 
Core Values:

* Accountability; 
* Integrity; 
* Reliability; 

Source: GAO.

GAO Strategic Plan 2004-2009.

[End of strategic plan framework]

What Do We Mean By Knowledge Management?

Knowledge management:

Involves sharing reliable information across boundaries, both 
internally and externally, 

Links people across boundaries to share knowledge they may not 
otherwise share, 

Includes technological tools to facilitate knowledge sharing, 

Helps organizations maximize their value and manage their risk. 

Knowledge Management: Networks People Across Boundaries:

President: 
* Lead;
* Advocate; 
* Recognize.

OMB: 
* Lead; 
* Coordinate; 
* Link.

OPM: 
* Lead; 
* Review; 
* Advise/Assist.

Agencies: 
* Lead; 
* Design; 
* Implement.

Congress: 
* Authorize; 
* Oversee; 
* Fund.

GAO: 
* Review; 
* Audit/evaluate; 
* Recommend.

Private Sector: 
* Partner; 
* Recognize; 
* Support.

Foundations: 
* Partner; 
* Research/Fund; 
* Integrate.

Academia: 
* Partner; 
* Educate; 
* Research.

Media: 
* Inquire; 
* Investigate; 
* Report.

Keys To Facilitating Knowledge Management:

* Strategic Plan (overall and for the workforce); 
* Core values; 
* Organizational alignment; 
* Recruiting, staffing, development, and succession planning 
strategies; 
* Capturing, assessing, and disseminating employees' skills and 
knowledge information; 
* Modernizing and integrating institutional, unit and individualized 
performance measurement and reward systems; 
* Employee empowerment and effective communications; 
* Updated and integrated training and development programs; 
* Technology infrastructure for sharing knowledge both internally and 
externally; 
* Utilizing advisory groups; 
* Developing effective partnerships...

Partnerships across many boundaries with well respected and trusted 
organizations that have complementary missions and core values. 

GAO: Leading By Example:

Internal Examples:

-Strategic plan, core values, and organizational alignment; 
-Workforce plan (e.g., knowledge and skills gap analysis); 
-Succession planning; 
-Knowledge transfer program; 
-Training and development curriculum (e.g., PDP, leadership, technical, 
behavioral, institutional); 
-Performance management systems; 
-Staffing management systems; 
-Library and research services. 

External Examples:

-Global Working Group; 
-National Intergovernmental Audit Forum; 
-INTOSAI; 
-Domestic Working Group; 
-Joint Financial Management Improvement Program (JFMIP); 
-Joint Auditing Standards Coordinating Forum; 
-21st Century speaker series; 
-CG and agency external advisory groups; 
- CG forums; 
-Peer review; 
-Key National Indicators Forum. 

Key National Indicators:

* WHAT: A portfolio of economic, social, environmental and security 
related outcome-based statistics that could be used to help assess the 
nation's and other governmental jurisdictions' position and progress.

* WHO: Many countries and several states and localities have already 
undertaken related initiatives (e.g., Australia, New Zealand, Canada, 
United Kingdom, Oregon, Washington, and Charlotte).

* WHY: Development of such a portfolio of indicators could have a 
number of possible benefits, including:

- Serving as a framework for related strategic planning efforts; 
- Enhancing performance and accountability reporting; 
- Informing public policy decisions, including much needed baseline 
reviews of existing government policies, programs, functions, and 
activities; 
- Facilitating public education and debate as well as an informed 
electorate; 

* WAY FORWARD: Consortium of key players led by the National Academies 
domestically and related OECD efforts internationally. 

Framework for a Comprehensive National Indicator System:

The Economy:

* Consumers & Employment; 
* Transportation & Infrastructure; 
* Finance & Money; 
* Business & Markets; 
* Government; 
* The World Economy. 

Society & Culture; 
* Health & Safety; 
* Education & Innovation; 
* National Security:

* Crime & Justice:

* Children, Families & Aging; 
* Communities & Citizenship; 
* Democracy & Governance; 
* Values & Culture. 

The Environment:

* The Earth; 
* Land; 
* Water; 
* Life; 
* Air; 
* Natural Resources. 

* Quality of Life; 
* Sustainability; 
* Poverty; 
* Diversity; 
* Opportunity; 
* Mobility. 

Selected Knowledge-Sharing Technology Tools and Services That Help GAO 
Get Its Job Done:

* Internet and intranet access; 
* Remote access tools (Neotaris, GroupWise); 
* IPTV viewing and learning (e.g., CG chats, web-based courses, CPE 
requirements); 
* Report reproduction (e.g., "PAG" services such as editing, graphics, 
composition); 
* Library and research materials assistance; 
* Workplace communication and database services (e.g., EAGLE, DM 5.0, 
NetMeeting, teleconferencing); 
* Video services (broadcasts, recording televised programs); 
* Skills and knowledge electronic inventory; 
* Staffing system. 

Knowledge Management: Helps To Maximize Value and To Reduce Risk:

Helps leaders facilitate and manage change; 

Supports results orientation and matrix management (i.e.,with 
mechanisms to bring the right people with the right skills together to 
maximize the value and manage risk involved with any undertaking); 

Aids coordination and integration across borders, sectors, agencies, 
units, levels, and boundaries, etc.

Helps managers plan their IT efforts to support employees' knowledge- 
sharing needs; 

Helps employees identify with their organization's strategic plan; 

Helps leaders and employees embrace needed cultural transformation. 

* Assists in:

- Building expertise; 
- Enhancing professional development; 
- Improving recruitment and retention; 
- Improving retention; 
- Facilitating succession planning; 
- Recognizing and rewarding value-added actions and actions to mitigate 
risk. 

Transformation: A New Model for Government Organizations:

Government organizations will need to:

Become less hierarchical, process-oriented, stovepiped, and inwardly 
focused; 

Become more partnership-based, results-oriented, integrated, and 
externally focused; 

Achieve a better balance between results, customer, and employee focus; 

Work better with other governmental organizations, non-governmental 
organizations, and the private sector, both domestically and 
internationally, to achieve results; 

Focus on maximizing value, managing risk, and enhancing responsiveness 
within current and expected resource levels. 

Key Leadership Attributes For Success:

* Courage; 
* Integrity:
* Innovation. 

[End of slide presentation]