Call for Research Report Proposals 2017

Leaders who understand and can leverage effective management tools and practices are better prepared to execute on their priorities and see measurable, positive program results. The IBM Center for The Business of Government is committed to helping identify and distill the lessons learned from the past, identify current and new management initiatives and capacities that will be needed to address key challenges facing the country in this administration, and offer ideas on implementation.

To that end, our 2017 Call for Research devotes particular attention to the needs of this administration. Over the last year, the IBM Center has worked with government partners and stakeholders to assess new research priorities. Our goal is to develop a management roadmap that helps the next administration drive sustained improvement in the government’s capacity and effectiveness.

We look to communicate what leading researchers know about “what works” to government leaders and managers in the following areas of interest:

• Developing and managing leadership talent in government
• Improving decision-making
• Enhancing an enterprise approach to improve government
• Harnessing innovation to improve outcomes and productivity

In addition to these areas of focus for the administration, the Center also seeks research in areas where good management can enable the public sector to deliver on mission priorities and outcomes that agencies strive for on behalf of the citizens they serve. We welcome thought leadership that supports how government can best implement four key mission areas addressing two of the most important roles for government — to serve the citizen, and to protect the nation. Specifically:

• Engaging citizens to meet evolving needs
• Transforming operations to improve programs
• Strengthening threat prediction and prevention
• Enhancing cybersecurity

These eight research topics also incorporate the themes outlined in our previous research agenda based on our publication Six Trends Driving Change in Government (i.e., performance, risk, innovation, efficiency, mission support, and leadership).

We seek proposals on each of these topics that will culminate in reports with insightful findings and actionable recommendations for government executives and managers who need the best, most practical advice available when it comes to delivering the business of government. Our content is intended to stimulate and accelerate the production of practical research that benefits public sector leaders and managers. We look forward to receiving proposals in response to this research announcement and to continuing our work with the world’s leading researchers.

We are happy to answer any questions you have regarding the IBM Center for The Business of Government and our research stipend program. Our next deadline is April 3, 2017.