In 2023, the chief innovation officer of the City of Boston, in the US state of Massachusetts, was trying to determine the best approach for the integration of generative artificial intelligence (GAI) into the city’s workflows. Based on his research findings on GAI, he was preparing to advise the City of Boston’s mayor, a progressive leader who was focused on innovation and equity. As part of his presentation to the mayor, the chief innovation officer .....more

Created to foster innovation within public services, NIDO—the innovation lab of the Belgian federal government—aimed to encourage experimentation and the development of innovative solutions. While it had been responsible for notable initiatives such as the Network Innovation program, the Federal Innovation Award, and Gov Buys Innovation, in September 2023, NIDO faced significant challenges, including the lack of a well-defined mission or strategic .....more

This case examines the complexities of using machine learning (ML) in judicial decision-making through the development and application of the Correctional Offender Management Profiling for Alternative Sanctions (COMPAS) tool for assessing recidivism risk. It contrasts two perspectives: one highlighting algorithmic efficiency and objectivity, the other raising concerns about bias, fairness, and ethical dilemmas. Students explore the ML development .....more

Akanksha Tiwari served as the chief executive officer of the Varanasi Cantonment Board and faced the challenge of preparing for the upcoming Group of 20 (G20) meetings in Varanasi, India. Recognizing the need to enhance the cantonment’s appeal, Tiwari and her team had initiated several cleanliness and beautification efforts through the Swachh Chhawani, Swasth Chhawani program, which aligned with the Government of India’s Swachh Bharat Mission. These .....more

Dr. Fadia Kiwan, a Lebanese political-science professor at Saint-Joseph University and the director general of the Arab Women Organization, had observed through her work that Lebanon's socio-political landscape presented both opportunities and challenges for women's empowerment. Thus, in February 2022, she faced a significant career dilemma: she could run for Lebanon’s upcoming parliamentary elections or continue her impactful roles in academia .....more

On February 10, 2023, Toronto mayor John Tory stunned the city by holding an evening press conference to announce his resignation. Tory admitted to having an inappropriate relationship with a junior staff member in his office. While Toronto city council scrambled to deal with the fallout of Tory’s abrupt announcement, public opinion about it was deeply divided. From politicians to pundits to the general public, it seemed everyone had something to .....more

In the spring of 2019, Grant Robertson, New Zealand’s finance minister, was in the process of developing New Zealand’s first-ever Wellbeing Budget. The prime minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern, had spoken publicly about her vision to rethink how the government identified and set its priorities. Ardern was poised to push against a decades-old practice of using a country’s gross domestic product (GDP) as a proxy for the well-being of its citizens. .....more

In March 2018, the executive committee of the Shree Sharanam Co-op Housing residential society in the state of Gujarat, India attempted to bring transformation at the community level. The committee members knew that water was a precious natural resource that had to be used judiciously. Everyone wanted water to be available as and when required, but the challenge was to apply principles to people’s behaviour. The residents agreed that water conservation .....more

Until 2015, the city of Indore, India was considered “dirty,” with various sites serving as open dumping grounds for solid waste and open dustbins overflowing with mixed wet and dry waste. However, the strategic orientation of urban local body Indore Municipal Corporation led to a remarkable transformation in the city. In 2017, a series of change initiatives resulted in Indore being named the cleanest city in India—a jump from its 2016 low ranking .....more

The case highlights the courage, tenacity, and drive of a young woman pursuing her law degree part-time while working full-time in a financial role in Maryland. She applied to a posting for a government relations role in her parent company’s head office in Washington, D.C. The job involved advocacy work with members of the US Congress, which aligned with her interests even though it was intended for candidates several levels above her current role. .....more