The BSC blog, launched in 2013, features stories from practitioners around the world who are working to solve some of the world’s most pressing and complex problems. Browse blogs below by sector.
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ECONOMIC GROWTH
Agricultural Reform in Karabakh
Guest blog by Vahid Hajiyev, LEG ’24 One of the most important lessons from this course is that addressing complex growth challenges requires a problem-driven approach. Tools such as the Toyota “6 Whys” and the fishbone diagram were particularly useful in helping me understand the underlying causes and identify binding constraints. These tools taught me…Continue…
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GOVERNANCE
Using PDIA to Reduce Gun Violence in New York
Pablo Uribe thought he was done with fighting crime. That was his job as the deputy security director of his hometown of Cali, Colombia. He’d had success with reducing the murder rate there, but was feeling burned out by the work. So when Uribe left to get his master’s at the Harvard Kennedy School, he…Continue…
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EDUCATION
Improving the Learning Outcomes of Filipino Students One Small Win at a Time
Guest blog by Fatima Lipp D. Panontongan, IPP ’24 The on-campus session was extraordinary. Learning from both the professors and my classmates in my cohort was priceless. Everybody was warm and kind. I loved the study sessions before the classes because we got to discuss the readings on a more personal level. I enjoyed hearing…Continue…
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CRISIS LEADERSHIP
Public policy during a crisis: 3 Lessons learned from Ecuador’s earthquake
Guest blog written by Sandra Naranjo Bautista Last October, I was a guest lecturer at Harvard’s Executive Education Program, Budgeting Through Crisis. I talked about my experience as a minister during Ecuador’s 2016 earthquake with Salimah Samji, Director of the Building State Capability Program. Our conversation brought up memories that motivated me to write this blog. You can also…Continue…
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HEALTH
Addressing Limited Access to Clean Water in Rural Communities of Cameroon
Guest blog by Ruth Nguesap Ndifor-Fobisi, IPP ’24 Participating in the Implementing Public policy program was a maiden, invaluable and exciting experience that far exceeded my expectations! It was a perfect blend of theory and action learning, arduous yet rewarding! My key learnings from the insightful lectures, course material and wide range of shared experiences…Continue…
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INFRASTRUCTURE
City Infrastructure Projects in South Africa are not Being Delivered on Time or Budget
Guest blog by Kayla Brown, IPP ’24 The Implementing Public Policy course at the Harvard Kennedy School has taught me many things, particularly pertaining to the three aspects of my work: research, implementation and facilitation. Beyond, that it has given me tools that can be applied to my personal life too, particularly for my relationships. …Continue…
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PUBLIC FINANCE
Exploring the lack of access to revenue in Wyoming
Guest blog by Tom Brauer, Justin D. Farley, Amber Pollock In Wyoming, much like throughout the United States, communities lack access to revenue and control of the revenue-raising mechanisms needed to self-determine their future. Over the past 12 weeks, The Wild Optimists have been immersed in the Problem-Driven Iterative Adaptation (PDIA) course, where we’ve grown…Continue…
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OTHER
Solar Generation in New Mexico
Guest blog by Melissa Banks, LEG ’24 The greatest learnings I’m taking away from this course are related to identifying achievable, incremental, and specific solutions that address binding constraints relevant to nearly any challenge (beyond development challenges). The idea of evolving solutions that build upon one another over time alleviates the pressure taking on significant…Continue…