To satisfy their constituents and create public value, leaders and managers of public-sector organizations must be able to develop effective strategies and employ strategic management. Taking a strategic view is critical because leaders and managers in the public sector should look beyond day-to-day operations to adapt to a rapidly changing, interconnected world. Strategic management is the art of arriving at fundamental decisions and actions that share and guide what an organization is, what it does, and why it does it. It is a set of concepts, tools, and procedures which can enhance organizational performance and productivity. These processes can help organizations make better decisions, create ideas for strategic action, organize participation, and build coalitions for support.

To help government officials understand strategic management, the APO organized a virtual training course on Strategic Management for Public-sector Productivity Enhancement, 30 November–3 December, in partnership with the National Productivity Secretariat of Sri Lanka. This course was organized in two distinct streams, covering strategic planning and public management. The first stream covered an introduction to strategy; environmental scanning, stakeholder analysis, and identifying strategic issues; formulating and implementing strategies; and strategic review. The second stream introduced public management, ethics and values in the public sector, leadership in the public sector, and governance options for policymakers.

There were 45 participants from government agencies in 11 member countries who received certificates of attendance. Two resource persons led the sessions, one from Australia and one from Japan.