Governments around the world have been put on notice that the way they address six simultaneous and inescapable forces reshaping public administrations and the communities they serve will determine the prosperity of their citizens into the future.

A new report from IBM titled Government 2020 and the Perpetual Collaboration Mandate warns of the growing global impact of rapid changes in a broad range of areas. It says each trend will require individualized strategies to effectively manage, and suggests virtual organizations, in which geographically dispersed constituents can collaborate seamlessly, will play a key role.

"The future of societies around the world is being shaped by six drivers outside the realm of government control," the report says. "Powerful changes related to demographics, globalization, environmental concerns, societal relationships, social stability and technology will affect virtually every government, demanding individualized responses suited to each nation, region or locality.

These nearly universal drivers will require 'perpetual collaboration' that starts with intensified, multi-directional communications, and shared operational and technical standards. Beyond those core essentials, effective strategies also hinge on government commitments to facilitate efforts involving multiple agencies (within and across borders), and improve partnering with transnational organizations."

Research results identified a recurring theme of 'perpetual collaboration' as a core capability governments will need in order to prosper and best serve citizens over the next 12 years. To achieve such collaboration, IBM recommends four key approaches for government organizations:

Public and Private Collaboration: Form new alliances and models of interaction, such as global collaborative ventures, to keep pace with changes in global society.

Personalized Interaction and Services: Implement technologies that enable governments to provide convenience, increased efficiency, security and privacy in delivering services ranging from healthcare to social services.

Knowledge Creation and Sharing: Stimulate product and service innovation through interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary research, coupled with new models of knowledge sharing that can transcend multigenerations in the workplace.

Value to Constituencies: Engage constituents to raise awareness and buy into new approaches to governmental services, including services on-demand, that can provide greater value to citizens

"We are looking at a world in the midst of significant transition, where governments have the opportunity to work together more effectively, and engage their citizens and allies in the implementation of bigger goals for society," said Gerry Mooney, general manager, IBM Global Government. "Looking ahead to 2020, we found that the idea of virtual organizations will increasingly shift from being a concept to becoming the way successful governments function."

"Across the globe, many political leaders understand they have a choice: they can be passive and let change dictate the way their nations will adjust, or they can embrace the changes with effective strategies to improve the lives of their citizens, protect their interests and grow their profiles internationally."