Event Content

Innovation has always been integral to the work of Public Sector institutions and the citizens they serve. But in the current global economy, innovation has become essential.
The challenges facing countries and communities are growing more complex by the day - from the impact of globalization on economies and the environment, to emerging security threats, to providing vital services to citizens struggling to keep up with the technology tidal wave. In the face of the worldwide economic downturn, the Public Sector has to address these expanding concerns with a shrinking set of resources .
The old saying - “do more with less” - has a whole new urgency.
Innovation is the key to using resources wisely in order to provide quality public services, extend the reach of education and healthcare, and nurture economic growth and national competiveness.

The Transformative Power of Technology

Public Sector institutions can harness technology to provide myriad benefits to citizens and their communities. The internet and cloud technologies make sharing information effortless, and more and more citizens are getting connected in order to take advantage of these resources.

The emergence of cloud computing is opening up extraordinary new opportunities for Public Sector institutions, including improved operational efficiencies, new ways to engage with citizens, and better avenues for tapping potential to better compete in the global economy. Our objective is to help the Public Sector strategically embrace innovation in order to meet today’s challenges and seize tomorrow’s opportunities.

Making Transformation a Reality

For the past quarter century, Microsoft has worked closely with Public Sector leaders all over the world; we listen carefully to discover how best to apply technology in a way that creates scalable, sustainable impact on citizens and societies. Here’s what we’ve learned…

The conversation does not start with technology. It starts with expanding opportunities and nurturing national competitiveness;
providing quality healthcare and access to education; keeping citizens safe and protecting our environment.
The conversation begins with a shared vision of a better future - only then do we find ways to use technology to help make that vision a reality.
A holistic approach is vital.
Technology solutions and new innovations must be applied as part of a larger strategy that includes policy, process, and people.
The technology needs of the Public Sector are unique. When it comes to security, data privacy, reliability, interoperability/openness, and other regulatory requirements, it is imperative that we first understand the requirements that must be addressed.
No two governments or societies are the same.
Every government, community, and institution needs flexible solutions and adaptable programs that meet its specific needs. Providing custom solutions to fulfill these needs can help citizens realize the benefits of technology and innovation.
Long-term partnerships between the public and private sectors are critical. In order to create scalable, sustainable initiatives that foster local innovation, expand opportunity, and build a knowledge society, we must bring together the expertise of all stakeholders - from UN agencies and regional organizations to local NGOs and governments at every levels of engagement.

Our approach is to apply this learning to help governments innovate on their own terms, working together to apply technology for the greater good .

New Efficiency

In a time when governments are forced to make difficult choices - laying off teachers, reducing police forces, cutting public services - finding new efficiencies is a top priority. From simple cost savings to the complex issues around reducing energy consumption, governments must find new ways to be more efficient.
Cloud computing is helping governments, schools, and health organizations improve efficiency by accelerating the pace of innovation.

Take, for example, the City of Carlsbad, faced with the common challenge of cutting their budget without cutting essential government functions - like their ability to communicate reliably and securely. By using our Business Productivity Online cloud service offering for more than 30,000 users, Carlsbad has been able to reduce the cost of their email and collaboration system by more than 40%.
Similarly, the city of Miami cut 75% off their IT maintenance costs through the use of innovative Microsoft cloud technologies for messaging, infrastructure, and disaster-recovery planning.
But governments need to do more than cut costs. Creating new efficiencies is also about helping Public Sector organizations make smarter, faster decisions, turning information into vital insight. In the realm of National Security, for example, real-time information is what governments need to ensure the safety of their citizens. And in healthcare, getting the right information into the hands of doctors and nurses - and helping them digest it quickly - can save lives and improve the health and well-being of citizens struggling to get by .

Helping Governments Modernize

Microsoft has more than 700,000 partners around the world working together to help governments modernize, reducing the cost of operations while implementing scalable, secure, cost-effective solutions that make the most of limited resources. And that means less time wasted on maintenance, less energy lost struggling with antiquated systems and technologies that can’t keep up with the modern global infrastructure.
When governments can harness technology to find new efficiencies, the result is faster, more-informed decision-making, which frees up more resources - more effectively applied - to tackle the tough challenges ahead.

New Engagement

Once you’ve laid the foundation for a more efficient government, you are free to more effectively connect with your people. That means providing essential services that can be reached anytime, anywhere. And more importantly, it enables a sustained, mutually beneficial conversation between institutions and the individuals they serve.
Better engagement is about putting individuals at the center - citizens, students, patients - and making them part of the solution.

As a result, patients take more responsibility for their own health; students take more responsibility for their ongoing education; and citizens step up and get involved in improving their communities.
For example, the Cleveland Clinic is managing diabetes and heart disease by digitizing patient data, storing it online, and making it easily accessible for patients and healthcare providers alike. Using at-home medical devices - like heart-rate monitors and glucometers - patients can monitor their conditions and upload their data into HealthVault, which incorporates that information into personal health records at the Cleveland Clinic. The result is a healthier, happier citizenry.
The European Environment Agency is providing more than 500 million EU citizens with the ability to compare their air and water quality readings with what the EEA is seeing. Governments across Europe can respond more immediately and effectively to the health hazards citizens report using our Azure cloud infrastructure and a simple cell phone.
In public safety and disaster response, getting real insights from individuals on the ground is critical to effective response. Within 48 hours of the Haiti earthquake, for example, a UN-sponsored portal was up and running, enabling the coordination of efforts and resources across a vast network of donor agencies. And the real-time insight our technology offered accelerated the delivery of aid where it was needed most.

Making Everyone Part of the Solution

The transformative nature of the cloud enables unprecedented speed and flexibility when it comes to testing, purchasing, and provisioning solutions that improve efficiency while enabling the effortless exchange of information . As a result, citizens gain greater insight, input, and confidence in government decision-making. Patients can take a bigger role in their own healthcare. Parents, pupils, and teachers can collaborate to help students realize their full potential. And citizens can step up and help their communities thrive in the global economy.
When the door to engagement is always open, governments and citizens can more efficiently connect to find solutions together.

New Opportunity

Governments that improve efficiency and nurture closer relationships with citizens are rewarded with a host of new opportunities - opportunities to empower people, expand local innovation, and make a meaningful contribution to human prosperity and the sustainability of the planet.

It all comes back to our mission as a company: to help countries, communities, and individuals realize their full potential. That means creating jobs and new avenues for prosperity, furthering education, and providing universal technology and skills training.
It all adds up to a citizenry better prepared to compete.
Microsoft has a unique business model, built on a global ecosystem of dedicated partners. The vast majority of these partners are small- and medium-sized organizations that have a dramatic impact on local job creation. And they earn an average of $8 for every dollar Microsoft makes, re-investing those resources into their local economies.
Many Microsoft partners are actively engaged in programs like BizSpark, which provides local start-ups with development tools, training, and support to help new entrepreneurs get off the ground. And the Imagine Cup - like the World Cup of technology - engages more than 325,000 college-age students in a global competition that focuses on addressing the world’s foremost challenges with technology.

Creating Skilled Workers for the Jobs of the Future

To help redefine “opportunity”, we collaborate with government leaders and our global partner network to provide citizens with the market-driven workforce skills, training, and technology they need to thrive in an increasingly global marketplace. For example, our Partners in Learning (PiL) program ensures schools are prepared to cope with a crisis of support, resources, and time by helping teachers more effectively use technology to advance learning. PiL has trained nearly eight million teachers, reaching 185 million students worldwide.
We’re dedicated to helping governments foster local innovation, expand skills and access, and provide the next generation with educational opportunities that will result in economic growth and better opportunities for all.

A Whole Greater than the Sum of the Parts

A more efficient government is able to dedicate more resources to innovation. Innovation enables deeper citizen engagement, which leads to better opportunities and a happier, more involved populace. A connected community results in even better efficiency - and the virtuous cycle continues.
The right partnerships, programs, and solutions fuel innovation, spur economic growth, encourage hope, and offer more opportunities to compete in the modern economy.

Efficiency + engagement + opportunity = global competitiveness

We’re here to help you unlock transformative potential - from healthcare and education to energy independence and sustainability. When you partner with Microsoft, you tap into a global ecosystem of software, services, and support that will result in accelerated innovation, greater efficiency, deeper engagement, and a host of new possibilities. Whether on premises or in the safe confines of the cloud, Microsoft solutions improve public services, and that means a happier, healthier populace, fully prepared to compete in the global marketplace.

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