Category: Africa

BSC video 25: Real problem driven reform

Solving problems that matter ensure that you are doing something contextually relevant. In this video, Matt Andrews, uses an example of civil service reform in Uganda to illustrate how constructing local problems is the entry point to begin the search for solutions that ultimately drive change. You can watch the video below or on YouTube….Continue Reading BSC video 25: Real problem driven reform

BSC Video 17: Isomorphic Mimicry in Uganda and Melanesia

The systems and structures in development are focused heavily on form and not function. In this video, Michael Woolcock uses examples in Uganda and Melanesia to illustrate what happens when you focus excessively on the form and ignore the function. You can watch the video below or on YouTube. If you are interested in learning…Continue Reading BSC Video 17: Isomorphic Mimicry in Uganda and Melanesia

Bridging the Capacity Gap in Burundi

written by Salimah Samji The knee jerk reaction to building capacity is to organize more training workshops. These are taught by experts and held in fancy locations, with free-flowing food and refreshments. The attendees often do not include the front line workers who are ultimately responsible for implementation. In some cases attendees do learn new…Continue Reading Bridging the Capacity Gap in Burundi

PDIA in Cameroon

written by Salimah Samji In a recent paper entitled, Behavioral Economics and Public Sector Reform: An Accidental Experiment and Lessons from Cameroon, Gael Raballand and Anand Rajaram compare two World Bank projects in Cameroon: a $15 million, 5 year, Transparency and Accountability Capacity Development Project (TACD), and a $300,000, low-profile technical assistance project to improve…Continue Reading PDIA in Cameroon