Public sector organisations around the world face a stark challenge: adjust to the reality of ‘doing more for less’ – or even ‘doing less for less’ – whilst focusing on what society needs and doing all this at a time of seismic changes.

The new normal is for governments and public sector organisations to deal with uncertainty and offer solutions while delivering quality services that are affordable, all set in the context of deficit-reducing budget cuts.

The new PwC “Future of Government” report sets out our views on the issues that need to be addressed by public sector organisations, in a rapidly changing environment. In this new environment the options available for the governments are affected by the rapid advances in new technology and the economy while they are equally affected by the changing perceptions of the society.

Evgenios Evgeniou, CEO of PwC Cyprus stated:

“The study is published at a time when public sector reform in Cyprus is a great challenge. We believe that this study can be the basis for a constructive dialogue and for decision making on the necessary changes for public sector to meet the expectations of society.”

According to the findings of the study, organisations must view themselves through three different lenses that guide their behaviour:

• Citizen-centricity: meeting citizen needs effectively, affordably and in a timely manner • Getting the right balance between managing internal organisational efficiency/effectiveness, and externally delivering ‘good growth’ • Sustainable outcomes: strategically building the assets for society by managing the ‘capitals’ needed for long-term prosperity – such as social, environmental, cultural etc.

In addition, there are four key characteristics that the leading public sector body of the future must exhibit:

• Agile: ready to anticipate situations, and adapt and react to unforeseen events • Innovative: capable of incubating ideas • Connected: collaborating across sectors/borders/organisations • Transparent: being truly accountable for actions and outcomes of the organisations

The PwC report is available on www.pwc.com.cy

Notes

1. A full copy of the PwC Future of Government report can be found at www.psrc.pwc.com. 2. The Public Sector Research Centre (PSRC) is PwC’s online community for insight and research into the most pressing issues and challenges facing government and public sector organisations, today and in the future. The PSRC enables the collaborative exchange of ideas between policymakers, opinion formers, market experts, academics and practitioners internationally. Please visit: www.psrc.pwc.com 3. PwC helps organisations and individuals create the value they’re looking for. We’re a network of firms in 158 countries with over 180,000 people who are committed to delivering quality in assurance, tax and advisory services. Tell us what matters to you and find out more by visiting us at www.pwc.com