INTrOduCTION

Twenty-Five Years of Connecting Research to Practice 3 25 years of Connecting research to Practice Unlike traditional scholarly outlets, the IBM Center makes explicitly clear that its reports are to be ‘written for government executives and managers’ and that in making the decision to fund research proposals, it looks for very practical findings and recommendations—not just theory and concepts—in. [...] Govern- ments, around the world have navigated and responded to the impacts of the pandemic, and have captured valuable lessons and gained an under- standing of critical areas of focus. [...] As outlined below, the chapters in Part I of this book offer insights and rec- ommendations for government leaders and stakeholders on how best to dis- cover value in the unexpected, and in doing so to more effectively position and lead organizations in the face of the unknown. [...] The more we noticed, remembered, wrote down, and shared, the more knowledgeable we became and the better we were to pass our learning on for future generations to increase.7 With this disclaimer that no one can know for certain what may come next, the insights and actions detailed in this book provide a practical path for- ward in transforming the business of government to meet evolving demands. [...] Keegan is the Leadership Fellow at the IBM Center for The Business of Government and Host of The Business of Government hour.