Highlights of a GAO Forum:
Mergers and Transformation: Lessons Learned for a Department of Homeland Security and Other Federal Agencies
GAO-03-293SP: Published: Nov 14, 2002. Publicly Released: Nov 14, 2002.
Additional Materials:
- Highlights Page:
- Full Report:
- Accessible Text:
Contact:
(202) 512-3236
contact@gao.gov
Office of Public Affairs
(202) 512-4800
youngc1@gao.gov
The early years of the 21st century are proving to be a period of profound transition for our world, our country, and our government. The federal government needs to engage in a comprehensive review, reassessment, reprioritization, and as appropriate, re-engineering of what the government does, how it does business, and in some cases, who does the government's business. Leading public and private organizations in the United States and abroad have found that for organizations to successfully transform themselves they must often fundamentally change their culture. On September 24, 2001, GAO convened a forum to identify and discuss useful practices and lessons learned from major private and public sector organizational mergers, acquisitions, and transformations that federal agencies could implement to successfully transform their cultures and a new Department of Homeland Security could use to merge its various originating components into a unified department. The invited participants have experience managing or studying large-scale organizational mergers, acquisitions, and transformations.
There are a number of key practices that have consistently been found at the center of successful mergers, acquisitions, and transformations and can serve as a basis for subsequent consideration as federal agencies seek to transform their cultures in response to governance challenges. These practices to (1) ensure top leadership drives the transformation, (2) establish a coherent mission and integrated strategic goals to guide the transformation, (3) focus on a key set of principles and priorities at the outset of the transformation, (4) set implementation goals and a timeline to build momentum and show progress from day one, (5) dedicate an implementation team to manage the transformation process, (6) use the performance management system to define responsibility and assure accountability for change, (7) establish a communication strategy to create shared expectations and report related progress, (8) involve employees to obtain their ideas and gain their ownership for the transformation, and (9) build a world-class organization.
Dec 16, 2020
-
Coast Guard:
Actions Needed to Improve National Vessel Documentation Center OperationsGAO-21-100: Published: Dec 16, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 16, 2020.
Nov 23, 2020
-
Southwest Border:
Information on Federal Agencies' Process for Acquiring Private Land for BarriersGAO-21-114: Published: Nov 17, 2020. Publicly Released: Nov 23, 2020.
Nov 12, 2020
-
Coast Guard Acquisitions:
Opportunities Exist to Reduce Risk for the Offshore Patrol Cutter ProgramGAO-21-9: Published: Oct 28, 2020. Publicly Released: Nov 12, 2020.
Oct 29, 2020
-
TSA Acquisitions:
TSA Needs to Establish Metrics and Evaluate Third Party Testing Outcomes for Screening TechnologiesGAO-21-50: Published: Oct 29, 2020. Publicly Released: Oct 29, 2020.
Oct 20, 2020
-
Homeland Security Acquisitions:
DHS Has Opportunities to Improve Its Component Acquisition OversightGAO-21-77: Published: Oct 20, 2020. Publicly Released: Oct 20, 2020.
Sep 30, 2020
-
Disaster Assistance:
Additional Actions Needed to Strengthen FEMA's Individuals and Households ProgramGAO-20-503: Published: Sep 30, 2020. Publicly Released: Sep 30, 2020. -
Supplemental Material for GAO-20-503:
FEMA Individuals and Households Program Applicant Data 2016 – 2018GAO-20-675SP: Published: Sep 30, 2020. Publicly Released: Sep 30, 2020. -
Supplemental Material for GAO-20-503:
Select Disaster Profiles for FEMA's Individuals and Households Program 2016-2018GAO-20-674SP: Published: Sep 30, 2020. Publicly Released: Sep 30, 2020.
Sep 29, 2020
-
Chemical Security:
DHS Could Use Available Data to Better Plan Outreach to Facilities Excluded from Anti-Terrorism StandardsGAO-20-722: Published: Sep 29, 2020. Publicly Released: Sep 29, 2020. -
Coast Guard:
Improved Analysis of Vessel Response Plan Use Could Help Mitigate Marine Pollution RiskGAO-20-554: Published: Sep 29, 2020. Publicly Released: Sep 29, 2020.
Looking for more? Browse all our products here