What is work?

US Commerce Dept. Deputy Sec. David J. Barram believes that developing a clear definition of work is vital to the agenda of both the Clinton Administration and the Assn. of Government Accountants to achieve greater efficiency. The need to reinvent work processes for increased productivity and excellence is becoming more urgent given the new realities in the international marketplace. With the emergence of a whole new set of nimble competitors, the US cannot afford to continue doing business the way it has always done. Just like the business sector, the government is also compelled to take another look at the traditional concepts of work, productivity and output. A large part of the government's effort to reinvent itself and become more meaningful is altering the way people behave. It is reshaping workplaces and workforces such that they are now focusing on outcomes rather on process.