  We propose and analyze an improved small-x equation which incorporates exact
leading and next-to-leading BFKL kernels on one hand and renormalization group
constraints in the relevant collinear limits on the other. We work out in
detail the recently proposed omega-expansion of the solution, derive the
Green's function factorization properties and discuss both the gluon anomalous
dimension and the hard pomeron. The resummed results are stable, nearly
renormalization-scheme independent, and join smoothly with the fixed order
perturbative regime. Two critical hard pomeron exponents are provided, which -
for reasonable strong-coupling extrapolations - are argued to provide bounds on
the pomeron intercept.
