Over the years, the IRS has been known for engaging in strong arm tactics when it comes to stakeholders and their inefficiency. This has lead to challenges in how the agency is interacting with the public and their ability to perform critical tasks. To fully understand what is occurring requires studying how competitive outsourcing can make them more responsive to different needs. This will be accomplished by examining the case itself (from Managing for Results) and identifying / discussing the importance of managing public organizations. Together, these elements will highlight how new transformations were introduced which helped to make them more responsive. (Kamensky, J & Morales, 2005, pp. 239 – 262)
Concisely summarize the assigned case.
In the early 2000s, the IRS was facing tremendous problems associated with perceptions about how it was treating taxpayers and there were tremendous inefficiencies. The combination of these factors resulted in the agency going through a major restructuring. The basic strategies were to streamline operations, make it more responsive to stakeholders and increase flexibility. (Kamensky, J & Morales, 2005, pp. 239 – 262)
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This was accomplished by focusing on a number of areas. The most notable include: categorizing where reforms were needed, organizing personnel into different teams, deciding which functions to complete, conducting preliminary planning, acquiring the necessary resources and implementation. These elements were used to create a change in how the agency was operating and the approach it was taking in its basic functions. (Kamensky, J & Morales, 2005, pp. 239 – 262)
The results are that a new competitive source structure was established utilizing the latest technology. This helped the staff become more responsive to the changing needs of the agency and respond effectively to stakeholders. Moreover, communication improved between managers, personnel and the unions. This made the IRS efficient by ensuring that everyone understood the importance of the transformations and the roles they were playing as a part of the process. (Kamensky, J & Morales, 2005, pp. 239 – 262)
These factors helped to make the agency and staff members more flexible when interacting with stakeholders. At the same time, it helped the IRS to have higher levels of accountability in place when identifying and soliciting potential contractors (utilizing a variety of resources). This ensured that they were in compliance with their contractual agreements and letters of obligations. When this happened, the agency was more responsive to the changing needs of stakeholders and it helped personnel to use the latest tools. This ensured that they are taking a more balanced approach in the process. (Kamensky, J & Morales, 2005, pp. 239 – 262)
Identify and discuss the importance of the case for managing public organizations.
These changes were necessary, in helping the IRS to keep up with the transformations that were occurring in the world of technology. Prior to the implementation of competitive sourcing, these challenges were becoming more severe. In many cases, this resulted in the agency utilizing technologies of the past and losing control of the activities of personnel / contractors. This increased the costs of performing different functions and it reduced their ability to deal with critical challenges. (Kamensky, J & Morales, 2005, pp. 239 – 262)
Furthermore, many personnel were engaging in tactics that were considered to be abusive of taxpayers. These factors meant that they were not taking into account their needs and it failed to understand the situation from their perspective. This led to a number different lawsuits and unfavorable court decisions against the IRS. To deal with these challenges, a new approach was necessary in order to ensure that stakeholders were treated fairly. At the same time, this helped to reduced any kind of inefficiencies and improve their ability to effectively control / monitor the actions of contractors. (Kamensky, J & Morales, 2005, pp. 239 – 262)
These changes are significant, as the IRS was falling behind the transformations that were occurring with many different entities. If there was not a refocus on these activities, the agency would have more than likely become a relic of the past. It is at this point, that personnel and contractors would have been more brazen in their activities with no accountability. (Kamensky, J & Morales, 2005, pp. 239 – 262)
To deal with these challenges, a new approach had to be taken in how the IRS was interacting with stakeholders and running its internal operations. This required that radical reforms were enacted to prevent these abuses from becoming out of control. Competitive sourcing was utilized as way of incorporating technological solutions into the basic model. This ensured that staff members were more flexible and it increased the accountability / monitoring of personnel. (Kamensky, J & Morales, 2005, pp. 239 – 262)
Clearly, the IRS was facing tremendous challenges with transformations in technology leaving them behind and the inability to control staff members / third party contractors. This led to greater levels of abuses occurring when they were interacting with tax payers. At the same time, many personnel and service providers lacked the flexibility to adjust with critical challenges. This caused the agency to become inefficient and unable to make adjustments with transformations from advancements in technology.
To deal with these issues a new approach was utilized. This focused on several different elements in the process to include: categorizing where reforms were needed, organizing personnel into different teams, deciding which functions to complete, conducting preliminary planning, acquiring the necessary resources and implementation. These reforms resulted in everyone becoming more adaptable and it enhanced monitoring. Over the course of time, this helped to make the IRS more responsive to the changing needs of stakeholders.
- Kamensky, J & Morales, A. (2005). Managing for Results. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.
