Beyond the Chainsaw: Rethinking Efficiency in Government
Join UCL IIPP for this IIPP Forum 2025 session, taking place on Friday 20th June at 10:00 - 11:30 BST.
Beyond the Chainsaw: Rethinking Efficiency in Government
20 Jun 2025, 10:00 – 11:30
About the session
Efficiency has become the rallying cry for bad faith and good faith efforts to rethinking public service in an age of AI and automation. DOGE in the USA has leveraging efficiency as the argument for public sector austerity and techno-solutionism. In turn, DOGE has become emblematic of a larger theory of efficiency. But as countries look to experiment with new visions of efficiency, particularly under automation, they can benefit from understanding the alternatives. This panel will introduce new thinking to reframe efficiency in the future of government work and public sector reform.
What theory of efficiency is being used? Who benefits from what kind of efficiencies? What are the key approaches and frameworks to align efficiency, automation, and public value creation? Is AI really a good excuse for public sector reduction and cuts? How can new thinking on public service and public value reframe the role of efficiency?
Key information
- When: Friday 20th June at 10:00 - 11:30 BST.
- Where: Beveridge Hall, Senate House, University of, Malet St, London WC1E 7HU
IIPP's Forum 2025 - Rethinking the State
The Rethinking the State Forum is UCL IIPP’s flagship annual event, convening global thinkers, policymakers, students, and practitioners to examine how states can build the capacity to drive inclusive, green, and digital transformations. Taking place from 18–20 June 2025, the Forum offers a space for critical reflection and exchange on the evolving role of the state in tackling today’s complex challenges. Through public panels, interactive workshops, and cross-sector dialogues, the event explores themes such as decolonising public administration, rebuilding public institutions, and reconfiguring governance for the common good.
Further information
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