b'Research AbstractsRecently Published IBM Center ReportsPreparing the Next Generation of Federal Leaders: Agency-Based Leadership Development Programs Gordon Abner, Jenny Knowles Morrison, James L. Perry, and Bill Valdez This report builds on the Centers extensive research into federal leadership. Previous Center reports have explored how particular leaders have responded to public management challenges they faced running a government program or agency. These reports, as well as the many leadership interviews and profiles produced by the Center, focus on telling a leaders story, outlining experience, and sharing insights. We trust that this new report will be a useful and informative guide for efforts to build the next generation of government leaders.Assessing the Past and Future of Public Administration: Reflections from the Minnowbrook at 50 ConferenceTina Nabatchi and Julia L. Carboni This report builds on the Centers longstanding interest in strengthening the linkages between research and practice for the public sector. Most of our 350 reports over the past twenty-one years apply analyses and recommendations from academic experts into actionable recommendations for government. This history is reflected in the 2018 book marking the Centers 20th anniversary, Government for the Future: Reflection and Vision for Tomorrows Leaders, which assessed trends across government over the past two decades to develop scenarios for what government may achieve in the next two decades. These trends and scenarios would not have been possible without the careful research and impactful insights of hundreds of authors from the field of public administration. The import of this connection was reinforced by the recent introduction of the Government Effectiveness Advanced Research (GEAR) Center, which similarly seeks to link academic insights with public sector innovation.Financial Management for The Future: How Government Can Evolve to Meet the Demands of a Digital WorldAngela Carrington and Ira Gebler We hope that this special report, Financial Management for The Future: How Government Can Evolve to Meet the Demands of a Digital World, will help government leaders and stakeholders capitalize on the promise of new technologies and business practices to increase the value of government financial systems. ERP vendors are beginning to encourage clients to move to the cloud by adding higher-end capabilities and announcing end-dates for on-premises systems support. In addition, new technologies and capabilities, including robotic process automation (RPA), blockchain, and artificial intelligence (AI), promise to enable significant gains in productivity. The automation of RPA, the trust and security enabled by blockchain, and the cost savings provided by shared services can all deliver significant business value.104 www.businessofgovernment.org The Business of Government'